Lenten roses get their ecclesiastical nickname from when they flower.
All hellebores form tight clumps that slowly grow and spread into a groundcover.
Hellebores are highly toxic to humansand pets, and can also cause skin irritation.
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Many species are adapted to drier summers, but benefit from watering during long and hot dry spells.
Site them in good conditions and these low-maintenance plants should delight you for years to come.
Mature plants can produce up to 50 long-lasting blossoms.
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Be sure not to plant too deepthe crown of the plant should not be buried.
Hellebores do not like soggy or heavy soil.
Water deeply during those periods of dry heat.
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A few species can be planted in Zone 9 in northern Florida and along the Gulf Coast, likeH.
lividus, and various hybrids.
Overly wet and rainy conditions can cause fungal problems.
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Leafy stems carry clusters of two-inch pale green flowers from late winter into spring.
It is more sun-tolerant than other hellebores and can be planted in Zones 6-8.
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Lenten Rose / Hybrid Hellebore (H. x ballardiae)
This cross betweenH.
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lividusfeatures outward-facing blooms on deep red stems.
Varieties include ‘Cinnamon Snow,’ ‘Pink Frost,’ and ‘Merlin.’
It can also be planted in Zones 6-8.
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The blooms face out, not down.
Varieties include ‘Champion’ and ‘Monte Cristo.’
x ericsmithiihave been given a new species name,H.
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x glandorfensis, and labeled as Ice N' Roses Snow Rose.
Grow in Zones 5-8.
Leaves are slender and stinky when crushed or bruised.
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Stinking hellebore can be grown in Zones 6-9 and self-sows freely where adapted.
They generally resemble principal parentH.
orientalis, but flower color range has been extended and superior parents selected for seed production.
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Hardiness ranges from Zones 4-9, depending on variety.
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Majorcan Hellebore (H. lividus)
Leaves of this hellebore resemble those ofH.
argutifoliusbut have purplish undersides and silvery veins above.
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It bears clusters of pale rose to silvery green flowers and will grow in Zones 7-9.
Blooms appearfrom Decemberinto spring, with petals turning pink with age.
Christmas rose needs more shade than other hellebores and can suffer in harsh winter sun.
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Hybridizes freely with many other species; many nursery plants may be hybrids.
Grow in Zones 6-8.
Remove all leaves that began growing the previous winter and spring.
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Compost healthy-looking leaves and throw out spotted, brown, or yellow leaves with the trash.
Do not compost diseased leaves, as they will spread their infected spores.
Cutting off the leaves won’t reduce the vigor of the plants.
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They’ll quickly sprout new leaves.
Lenten roses make a beautiful carpet-like ground cover that naturally expands as the seeds drop.
you’ve got the option to then dig up, move, and replant them as they grow.
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To propagate, you’re free to divide large, established clumps in fall.
If well-sited, hellebores may self-sow, and the young seedlings can be transplanted in early spring.
This method is much easier than trying to grow them yourself from seed.
Choose a container that has a drainage hole and is tall enough to accommodate a deep-rooting plant.
Plant the hellebore no deeper than it was planted in its original container.
Repot every two years with fresh soil and compost.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Deer, rabbits, and rodentswon’t damage hellebores.
Aphids can sometimes bother the plants.
Black or brown spots on leaves are typically brought on by a fungus.
Remove infected leaves from the plant and on the ground and throw them away.
Clean up fallen leaves around your hellebores each autumn to reduce the spread of disease.
If blackened areas look streaky or cover leaves in a netted pattern, the situation is more serious.
Your hellebore may be infected withHelleborus net necrosis virus, also known as black death.
Other signs include black spots on flowers and stunted growth.
Plants with this virus should be thrown in the trash, along with any debris from the plant.
How To Get Hellebores To Bloom
Hellebore flowers are usually cup or bell-shaped (those ofH.
nigerare saucer-shaped), sometimes facing outward but more often nodding gently downward.
Flowers of all hellebores persist a long time, often turning pinker as they age.
And the blossoms are attractive in arrangements.
Then place in cold water.
Or simply float flowers in a bowl of water.
Plants grown in optimal conditions should bloom in winter or spring without problem.
But a couple of problems may crop up.
Wilting
Hellebores can seem to withstand hot weather just fine and suddenly droop to the ground.
Water deeply and the plants should rebound.
You may need to water a few times a week during a drought.
No Or Slow Growth
Younger plants can sometimes take a couple of seasons to settle in.
Provide proper care and watering, and the plant’s growth may take off next year.
They benefit from the rich, humusy soil from decomposing leaves.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
