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Hellebores - A Must Grow Flower

acrewoodflowers


I want to share with you about a garden treasure that you might not know about, but that I consider a must-have in the landscape: hellebores. You might have heard of Christmas Roses or Lenten Roses, two common names for hellebores (the name indicated bloom time – Christmas or Easter depending on variety).


These hardy, evergreen, long-lived perennials bloom at a time of year when not much else is, and when I tell you they’re stunning I’m not exaggerating! They basically produce their own anti-freeze which means that even when temperatures are in the teens, they don’t need any special protection. They’re a ‘plant and enjoy’ kind of flower! The only maintenance they need is a yearly trim to remove old foliage.


I spend about 10 minutes tending my hellebores each year and they reward me with months of blooms. Simply snip out old, leathery and tattered foliage once a winter to make way for new growth.
I spend about 10 minutes tending my hellebores each year and they reward me with months of blooms. Simply snip out old, leathery and tattered foliage once a winter to make way for new growth.

Hellebores also make excellent cut flowers and have a very long vase life. Blooms go through several stages on the plant as they age and put on a show for up to several months. But maybe my favorite thing about hellebores? Their light needs. They thrive in shade to part-sun! There aren’t many flowers that bloom well in shade, but this is definitely one of them.


All of these blooms are from the same plant. The white is the newest, the purple is middle-aged, and the green is the oldest. You can see the seed pods in the center of the purple and green flowers. The pods will continue to swell until they burst open and drop their seeds.
All of these blooms are from the same plant. The white is the newest, the purple is middle-aged, and the green is the oldest. You can see the seed pods in the center of the purple and green flowers. The pods will continue to swell until they burst open and drop their seeds.

The only down-side of hellebores is their price tag. They’re very slow growers so they spend the first several years of their life in a nursery before becoming large enough to sell. The extra time and care they need to get them started costs more than the average plant. I recommend starting with 2-3 plants and adding a few to your patch each year. Expect to pay $15-$40 depending on the size plant you purchase.


Worth every penny!
Worth every penny!

There are many fancy hybridized varieties with blooms in all shapes and sizes, but I usually stick to Helleborus Orientalis. Some of the fancier hybrids produce sterile seeds that won’t germinate. Orientalis produces fertile seed so I leave a few blooms on each year to go to seed and get more hellebores. I plan to let nature take over and allow my patch to grow naturally, in addition to adding a few new mature plants each year.


These are baby hellebore plants. Leave some flowers to go to seed each year and this is what you'll be rewarded with.
These are baby hellebore plants. Leave some flowers to go to seed each year and this is what you'll be rewarded with.

Hellebores look great in a cottage garden, around the base of a tree, or at the edge of a natural area. I have only ever planted them in the ground, but I’ve been told they do well in appropriately-sized pots. Perfect for a shaded townhome patio or apartment balcony!


Locally, Pike’s nursery in Matthews has a wide selection of plants and I’ve always been happy with my hellebore purchases from there. There are also numerous online-nurseries that a simple google search will turn up if you’re looking for some of the fancy hard-to-get hybrids.


Some of the beautiful hellebores available at Pikes Nursery in Matthews.
Some of the beautiful hellebores available at Pikes Nursery in Matthews.

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