Jump to a Section
Plant Overview
Share
The hellebore or Christmas rose family consists of approximately 20 metal money of herbaceous or evergreen woodland perennial , many of which have become popular garden plant because of their tolerance of tint and use of blooming very early in the yr when there are few other bloom around . They are not relate to the true rose , but are in fact members of the buttercup household .
The elegant flowers are wonderful for brightening up a suspicious sphere during former wintertime and other leaping , while the dramatic evergreen plant leaf of some of the species remains as an architectural feature all year - pear-shaped . Others are deciduous and get flowering as the fresh foliage emerges , often in the depths of winter , miraculously surviving frosts and even a snow covering .
What come along to be the blossom ’ flower petal are actually five sepal . These surround a ring of small , cupful - same structure that are the petals that have been alter to concord nectar . Unlike most flower petals , the sepals are long - be and may stay on the plant life after flowering , sometimes for a bit of months .
In the wild , false hellebore are most commonly found in forest and forest glades on the lower slopes of European and Balkan mountains . They are adapted to animation in coke fields , and consider with Charles Percy Snow thaw by inhabiting freely drain , sloping areas . They are native of deciduous timber with Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that shed their leafage in wintertime , allowing wintertime and spring sunlight through the bare canopy to the community of plants growing on the timber base . This provides a good guide to the conditions that gardeners should aim to give them .
Hellebore Care
While hellebores are available from specialist baby’s room all year - round , they tend to appear in garden centres in late winter to early spring and this is a good time to embed them out . They are not always reliable when produced from seed , and many partisan only corrupt plants in flower to ensure that they are coloured as expect .
Choose a military position in the garden that is softly shaded and well drained , but shelter from cold , winter winds . As woodland plants with long root system , hellebores like deep , plenteous land with a lot of constituent topic , so savvy a good amount of well - moulder manure , foliage mold orgarden compostinto the soil before planting . They have a preference for slightly alkaline soils , so spent mushroom compost is particularly suitable .
travail a hole at least twice the diam and astuteness of the container , contain organic thing and three handful of fish , blood and bone into the base of the hole and work out it in . Backfill with enough compost - enriched soil to ensure that the works will be at the same storey as it was in the pot . Carefully knock the plant life out of the pot and place it in the hole , filling around the root with the rest of the soil . Firm the soil gently around the root bollock and urine well .
Keep the plant life well water during the first year in the ground , and give them a 5 curium deep mulch of well - rot organic cloth such as leaf mold or bark each fall to keep them weed - innocent and to keep the ground in good term for them .
Christmas rosebush are prostrate to a salmagundi of fungal disease and they gain from the remotion of any dead or dying farewell in tardy November or December . This improves aura circulation around the basis of the plant and reduce the chances of fungi establishing . It also improve the chances of visualize the first newfangled prime as they emerge near footing level in the New Year . Any dead stems can also be taken off after flowering in March or April , again to minimize the risk of fungal diseases establishing . As the flora is so prostrate , it is serious to dispose of any removed leaves or flower rather then to put them on the compost heap .
The flowers are promptly crabbed - pollinated and they will seed freely around the parent industrial plant . However , the offspring are typically inferior plants with poor - coloured flowers , and if let to ground they can take over from the parent . To prevent this , many gardeners cut the efflorescence stems off their specimen plants before the seed pods mature and split . In a less courtly situation such as a woodland garden or deciduous shrubbery , a growing dependency of more characterless plants may be more acceptable .
Light requirements
Hellebores do well in mottled or semi - shade , in a sheltered site away from cold wind . Dense shade will reduce the bit of flowers , especially if it persists all class around . They are best spring up amongst deciduous shrub and trees that will permit them sufficient light in the winter and outflow but provide shade in the summer .
Watering
Christmas roses are not liberal of drought , so they should be water occasionally in dry weather , specially on gratis - draining soils that are not water retentive . An yearly covering of constitutional matter to such soils will step by step improve their water holding power , though the mulch should be kept clear of the crown of the flora to forefend rot .
Soil conditions
hellebore do well in most filth although they will not survive waterlogged term and will sputter in very dry soils . Their preference is for a rich , constitutive and slightly alkalic soil but if looked after they will do quite well in garden soil of any typical acidity . A deep loam with lots of organic topic is idealistic .
Fertilisers
They are athirst plants and should be fed with general purpose fertilizer or Pisces the Fishes , blood and bone per year in March after flowering . sparge this onto the soil around the plants at the rate of just about 50 g per square beat and then gently work it into the soil surface with a branching .
Container grown plants need even more eating . A high potassium fertilizer such as tomato plant provender will advance flowering .
Repotting
Hellebores are naturally deep - rooted plants , so they generally do not grow well in containers . For the good chances of success , start a new plant of one of the shorter variety in a good deal that is at least 50 centimetre deep , and re - raft every two long time into a flock that is at least 5 atomic number 96 deeper . Use good quality compost such as a John Innes No 2 with lend horticultural gritrock , and ensure good drainage through basal holes treat with a level of broken crocks . A final green goddess depth of 70 cm should be sufficient for a full - grown flora .
While the proportions associated with a comparatively small plant in a improbable great deal can sometimes look peculiar , it is possible to append a permanent tall component such as a midget coniferous tree , and the height of the heap has the added vantage of bring the welcome winter flowers unaired to eye level .
Keep the wad well watered and a doubly - annual provender with a high potassium fertiliser such as tomato provender will encourage flowering . Seaweed fertiliser can also be used .
Looks good with
Densely - plant evergreen hellebore can be used to make footing cover in shaded area , and the deciduous type look good as part of a mixed woodland floor plant with fellow such as snowdrop , bound snow bunting , Natalie Wood anemones , violets , primrose and barrenwort . The evergreen varieties can provide class - beat interest in saltation bulb beds or large containers , and their flowers will add variety to miniatureNarcissi , Erythroniums , and the blues of grapehyacinthandScillas , specially when planted with the spikey foliage of hardy fern such asDryopterisandPolystichum .
Pruning
Christmas rosebush do not need pruning as such , but for good plant hygiene the foliage should be remove in October or November to prevent fungous disease being carried through the wintertime and infecting the flowers . Exposing the flowers in this way will also make it easier for of late emerged insect to find and pollinate the peak .
The plants can also be tidy up up loosely after inflorescence . The dead anthesis stem of stink hellebore ( H. foetidus ) andH. argutifoliuscan be reduce off at earth level , but other hellebores should only be dead - headed .
Hellebore Propagation
Seed - grown hellebores can be treacherous and vary in vividness from expectations . While loud seed is useable and it is very loose to germinate and kindle plants , it is unlikely to provide good examples of the more unusually - coloured varieties and it is likely to produce a lot of very average - looking plants . semen is the only practical fashion of raisingHelleborus foetidusandH. argutifoliusfor recreational gardeners . It may take two or three years for seed - raised plants to flower .
Unlike many hardy perennials that benefit from lifting and division every three geezerhood or so , the deeply - rooted hellebores are well allow to mature into heavy clump and not split . However , with exceptions , name cultivars and most of the coinage can be divided to produce more plants in early spring . The exclusion areHelleborus × hybridus , which should be divide in September , andHelleborus foetidusandH. argutifolius , which are not desirable for division .
After thrifty lifting , savvy late to sample to keep as much root as potential , the clump should be split into piece with at least one growth point , using a sharp , sterilized tongue . The pieces should be replanted as soon as possible and water well until they are established . Due to the inevitable root loss , the new divisions can take some time to establish and flowering may be shorten or absent for the next duet of year .
Common Hellebore Problems
Hellebores are prostrate to the common slug and escargot problems , especially when unseasoned , and they can also be feign by number of menage - specific pests and disease .
Pests
The hellebore aphid is a sap - feeding greenfly that can affect the flowers and leafage of the plants . They are most alive in March and April before many aphid predators are active . The first signal is often white dapple on the underside of the leaves : these are the caducous skin of the insects . The aphids produce a pasty , sweet honeydew melon that pull in pismire and can facilitate the development of jet mould and other fungous disease . Insecticides or organic alternative can be used with care to ward off any good insects shoot the breeze the later peak .
Another specific pest , the hellebore leafage miner became established in Britain as recently as the 1990s . The fly larvae tunnel into the leaf ofHelleborus foetidus , make chocolate-brown line and blotches , and eventually disfigurement of the leaves . While free burning attacks can pass to most of the leaf being damaged by spring , the plants do not seem to be for good harmed .
Diseases
Helleborus net necrosis virus is a serious disease of Christmas blush wine and can make stunting and disfigurement in the plants , particularly those that are at least three or four years old . It is also known somewhat dramatically as ‘ Hellebore fatal decease ’ because of the calamitous streaks , veins and ring markings that it causes . There is no curative so septic plants should be apprehend up and destroyed . It is think to be spread by aphids , and is typically more of an subject for nurseries and extensive commercial-grade planting of reek hellebore than case-by-case garden plants .
Hellebore leafage spot ( or disgraceful spot ) is a common disease of fresh growing make by the fungusMicrosphaeropsis hellebore . symptom let in circular dark-brown mend on the leaves and petite dim fruiting structures may be visible on close inspection . genus Helleborus argutifoliusis quite insubordinate , butH. nigeris particularly susceptible . Any unnatural leaves should be remove promptly and destroy . unspoilt garden hygiene will be necessary to reduce the chance of eruption in consecutive years .
Hellebore Varieties
The most popular Christmas roses for the garden areHelleborus Niger River and H. orientalis , including its many colorful hybrids ( H. × hybridus ) .
Helleborus x hybridus ( Ashwood Garden Hybrids ) ‘ Double Claret ’
This vigorous Christmas rose rise in clumps up to a meter marvellous , and produces lots of very attractive purple double bloom from late January to April .
Helleborus × hybridus ‘ Harvington Apricot ’
‘ Harvington Apricot ’ grow outbound - facing , rich apricot blossom from February to April . The peak contrast beautifully with the glossy , dark - gullible leaves . It will form good ground cover in area of dappled shade under deciduous trees and bush .
Helleborus × hybridus ‘ Harvington sinister ’
The stunning , almost black flowers of this motley provide a great spectacle in the winter garden , especially as they are just bursting from the bud . The flowers vary from outwards front to pendulous , and have a fertile , velvety appearance that is reflected in the purple - tinged , deep - green leaves .
Helleborus × hybridus ‘ Double Ellen White ’
This very hardy miscellanea has large blooms with pointed white ‘ petals ’ that are very lightly marked with maroon , surrounding a spectacular central hummock of creamy stamen . This is an ideal variety for brighten up a sorry shaded border in the winter .
genus Helleborus niger
This traditional bungalow garden favourite and RHS Award of Garden Merit winner has low - produce , deeply slue , leathery leaf that render year - round of golf interest in a shaded bed or woodland garden . The white , sometimes slightly pink - tinge flowers appear from mid - wintertime until early saltation .
Helleborus foetidus
The aptly named stinking hellebore has large clusters of wan cat valium , nodding , bell - shaped flowers with purple edges that are held above the separate , grim - immature leaves . The foetid scent is give off when foliation is crushed . The cultivar has the RHS Award of Garden Merit , and is related to a native British chalky timberland wildflower . It has an interesting subtle architectural form that provides winter interest in a shady borderline or woodland garden .
Helleborus ericsmithii ‘ Winter Moonbeam ’
‘ Winter Moonbeam ’ is a hardy evergreen plant hybrid betweenH. nigerandH. corsicus . Its long - long-lasting , creamy white flowers are produced from late winter right through to former summer , provide great value and appeal .
genus Helleborus ericsmithii ‘ Winter Sunshine ’
The abundant , creamy blanched flowers of ‘ Winter Sunshine ’ slice to a delicate pale redness and will decorate a shaded margin or deciduous shrubbery from February through to April . It has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit .
genus Helleborus purpurascens
This hardy and other flower deciduous motley may start to bloom in December , with the first few carmine - purple bloom appear near primer stage before the leafage emerges . It has characteristic violent - blotched stems that add further colour and pursuit to the shaded edge . It grow into heavy clumps and makes good land cover .
FAQs
Single - flowered hellebores produce lots of nectar and will pull in bees at a time of the year when little else is available for them . Planting Christmas rosiness in the wildlife garden will help early bumble bee and overwintering butterflies that are emerge from their wintertime quarter .
How useful was this mail ?
select a champion to rate it !
As you found this mail useful …
