Veronica speciosa

Native only to New Zealand, this spreading evergreen shrub grows on coastal cliffs and headlands in windswept scrub. Its thick, glossy leaves have finely hairy, pink-red margins, and dense spikes of magenta flowers can appear throughout the year. Branches may root where they touch the ground, while wind disperses its seeds. It has been widely used in breeding garden hebes. Wild populations are classified as At Risk–Declining in New Zealand, threatened by invasive weeds, browsing animals and hybridization with other hebes planted nearby. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.