It hugs itself against the cold. Alpine Hebe (Veronica brachysiphon) is a compact, rounded shrub. It grows in the harsh conditions of the alpine zone. A plant that lives where the air is thin. It has small, glossy, green leaves. They are crowded along the stems. They form a dense, rounded bush. The leaves are oval-shaped. Up to 2 centimetres long. They have a smooth, shiny surface. This reflects the intense alpine sunlight. The stems are stout and woody. They branch frequently. This forms a tight, compact shape. A plant that hugs itself against the cold. The plant produces masses of white flowers in summer. The flowers are small but numerous. They cover the shrub in a pale white blanket. They are attractive to native bees and other alpine insects. The flowers are followed by small capsules containing the seeds. A plant that blooms when the snow melts. Alpine Hebe is extremely cold-hardy. It tolerates heavy frost and snow. It grows in alpine and subalpine grasslands. You find it on rocky slopes and in herbfields. Often at the very edge of plant life. The compact, rounded shape helps the plant shed snow. This prevents damage from heavy accumulations. The small, glossy leaves reduce water loss. They reflect excess light. A design that raises questions. The answers are in the snow. The species provides important habitat for alpine insects and lizards. The dense, rounded shrubs offer shelter from wind and cold. The flowers provide nectar for bees and butterflies. The seeds are eaten by birds. To find Alpine Hebe is to climb the mountains of the South Island. Look for the compact, rounded bushes of glossy green leaves. Look for the masses of white flowers. The mountain is cold. The wind blows. The hebe sits, rounded and compact. White flowers are bright against the grey rock. The snow comes. The hebe sheds it. The sun comes. The hebe blooms. It does not complain about the cold. It does not complain about the wind. It just grows. That is what it was made to do.