Anyone know what this shrub is? Can it be divided?

9 years ago

Hi - I have a large (almost 5 feet in diameter) shrub in my backyard. Does anyone know its name? It's fairly low to the ground - maybe two feet high- and the "leaves" are succulent- like.

Also - it's too big for its current spot - do you know if it can be successfully divided into smaller bushes? Thank you!

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Comments (5)

tete_a_tete
9 years ago
Maybe it's a shrub I won't know, but if I do know it, the photo is too far away for me to identify it.

Could we have a close-up of the leaves and please tell us the leaf measurement approx.
M S (8b PNW)
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi - not sure this photo posted so I'll try again... hopefully this will help - thank you.
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
9 years ago
It's a Hebe. There are many species and cultivars. Hebe albicans is one which is similar to yours. Do you recall the flower colour? They are easy from cuttings. If you look underneath you will probably find that some branches will have rooted already. They can be cut off and moved. As for dividing it you need to ensure that you find a section which has its own roots.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
just some general thoughts ...

usually ... shrubs are not like perennials.. in that they can be 'divided' ... some sucker .. like lilac ... and you can cut off suckers that have some roots ... but that really isnt 'dividing' ....

and some can be duplicated .. propagated by cuttings ... like forsythia ... and as flora says here.. hebe ..

when pruning ... if you have a goal ... then you can have an idea.. of how to go at it ... what is your goal ... to get it away from the window somewhat??? .. perhaps so that vent will get more air?? ..

if so.. i would start at the back ... and start going at it ... it will probably look like heck for the rest of the year ... but some next spring flush ... it will start its recovery from the pruning ...

and if you do find some rooted pieces in there... plant them somewhere else ... for a few weeks or until spring .. ... and then just remove the huge old plant .... and then eventually move one of the small ones back in ... sometimes starting over is easier than trying to make grandpa into a nice young stud ....

its a great plant to learn on ...

ken
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Ken, I am assuming Hebe won't survive in your climate. So perhaps you've not grown them. They tend to be fairly short lived and do not respond to pruning like big tough stuff. This one is a low mounding cushion like shrub which will never be taller than it is now. Basically you can just clip them lightly over with the shears after flowering but if you go into old wood they'll quite possibly react badly. Your strategy would pretty certainly kill it.