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Botanical Description

Spreading subshrub with erect, branching flowering stems to 60cm or more tall. Leaves spreading, oblong elliptic to orbicular, boldly crenate-serrate to sharply toothed, often reddish-edged, leathery and glossy. Flowers lavender to lilac or white, in a broad terminal panicle up to 20cm long or more, early summer. South Island, South Marlborough to north Canterbury, on rocky bluffs from sea level to 920m. A magnificent species but prone to the mildew Peronospora grisea, which disfigures, defoliates and eventually kills. Best grown in dry areas in open sites; mildew is worse in humid areas and especially under glass. A regular spraying with a fungicide may be necessary. H.h. 'Lilac Hint' has paler green leaves lacking the red margin, and very pale lilac flowers. H.h. 'Sally Blunt' is stronger growing, with larger leaves and rich lilac flowers; from wild seed collected on the Clarence Pass by Graham Hutchins. H. X fairfieldensis (wrongly as fairfieldii) is a hybrid between H. hulkeana and H. lavaudiana, similar to the first parent but more stiffly erect, with less glossy leaves and larger flowers. Not very hardy and best in coastal gardens.