Dennis Morgeson Agent for Horticulture Washington County

Helleborus x hybridus Commonly known as Lenten or Christmas

Rose (no relation to the actual rose family) Hellebores are a member of the genus

Helleborus which comprises about 20 species They are in the buttercup family

(Rannunclaceae) with Clematis, Delphinium, and Trollius

Hellebores are herbaceous evergreen perennials that can live over 100 years!

The scientific name is derived from the Greek name H. orientalis “helleboros”, “elein” to injure and “bora” food. Many are poisonous!

Distribution and Description The genus is native to

much of Europe, including Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, the Mediterranean region, Romania, Turkey, and the Caucasus and Balkans.

Atypical species such as H. thibetanus is from Western China, and H. vesicarius from Turkey and Syria

Hellebore Mythology “Hellebore” the name

relate to the fact small particles of the plant can stimulate sneezing, the ingredient is Protanemonin, its very toxic and can kill you in higher doses.

It was believed that you could sneeze out evil spirits so the plant was used to induce sneezing.

Mythology Mythology states that a poor shepherd was

traveling to Bethlehem. He was going to see Christ but had no flowers because it was winter. He wept and everywhere a tear dropped a “Christmas Rose” sprang up.

Another less common, common name is Oracle flower. It was thought the Christmas Rose could predict the weather, on Christmas Eve 12 flowers were cut, one for each month, open flowers meant good weather and closed meant bad.

Hellebores As Medicine

Hippocrates used hellebore as a purgative and diuretic agent. It was also used to ward off mental illness

Witches in medieval times used hellebore to make salves that were thought to bring on the fountain of youth, also the hellebore powder dusted on the floor was thought to make people invisible

Hellebores As Medicine In 600 BC hellebores

were used to poison drinking water so that the Athenians could easily take over the city of Kirrha.

Today the roots of Helleborus niger are used in human medicine for cardiovascular disease. The operative ingredient is Helebrin.

In The Garden Hellebores make a great

addition to any shade garden. Bloom time is generally late winter and early spring.

Hardy in zones 4-9 Average growth is 15-18

inches tall, forming a dark green, leathery leaf, groundcover

New growth generally appears in Late January and February

New flowers emerge relatively quickly through mulch or snow!

In The Garden Flower color ranges

greatly now with new breeding including white, lavender, pink, plum, green, dark purple, red, and yellow

Newer forms have picotee flowers, darkened floral veins, spots, blothes, and double and semi-double.

The petals of hellebores are actually sepals not petals, that’s why they don’t drop readily.

In The Garden As flowers of hellebore

age over the 8-10 week bloom and fruiting period some varieties petals change color many going to green, the darker varieties generally fade to pink.

Mature seeds drop beneath the canopy and soon seedling emerge. They can be transplanted readily to new shady sites.

Landscape Use Hellebores coarse textured

leaves combine well to other plants in the shade garden especially against ferns and hosta.

The evergreen nature of hellebores also gives winter interest and smothers out cool season weeds.

Hellebores rarely need dividing and spread slowly making them very low care, and they are drought tolerant once established!

Culture and Care Hellebores enjoy shade

or part shade but flower best in part shade

If you don’t have large trees or shady areas the North and East sides of buildings and houses work well

You can also plant under shrubs for a partly shady area

Culture and Care Hellebore prefer well drained rich hummus

soil Add in organic matter at planting if you

have very heavy clay soil. Amendments such as leaf mold works great as it mimics a woodland setting

Generally planting under trees and shrubs keeps the soil well draining

Hellebores prefer a more basic to neutral pH and aren’t the best companions for acid loving plants such as rhododendrons etc.

Planting Dig hole twice the size of

the root ball of the plant and mix in organic amendments such as leaf mold which mimics a woodland setting. This will allow the plant to root in easily.

At planting and for the first season don’t allow the plant to stress do to lack of water, it is important to get good establishment

Good idea to mulch as well

Planting Don’t overwater either, the

equivalent of 1 inch of water per week is best

Once the hellebores grow and establish themselves they will need little care

To get a faster clump a light application of 10-10-10 in November or February will help. 10 lbs per 1000 square feet.

Problems

Hellebore was selected plant of the year in 2005 do to its toughness

Few insect or disease problems bother hellebores, some growers say the leaves are like plastic!

After establishment they will need little care, maybe water in extreme droughts but few plants can survive dry shade like hellebores

Problems Hellebores are naturally

deer and rabbit resistant as well.

Some gardeners cut back old foliage in late winter to make flowers more visible but this isn’t necessary, eventually the flowers will tower over the foliage

Most likely Problems Aphids-May attack

young leaves, but hardly ever in numbers that control would be warranted

Thrips-may attack flowers causing discoloration or distorted late season growth (frost will stop them)

Slugs-Especially if planted in moist locations, slug bait!

Most Likely Problems

Leaf spot that looks like black spot disease can become a problem, if planted in an area that is too wet with too low pH, clipping out and destroying infected leaves will stop the spread

Species Caulescent species – Have

leaves on their flowering stems and basal leaves

Helleborus argutifolius – Corsican hellebore

Helleborus foetidus – stinking hellebore or setterwort

Helleborus lividus Helleborus vesicarius

Species

Acaulescent species – Have no true leaves on their flower stalks although there are leafy bracts where the flower stalks branch

Acaulescent Species Helleborus atrorubens Helleborus croaticus Helleborus cyclophyllus Helleborus dumetorum Helleborus abruzzicus Helleborus liguricus Helleborus boconei Helleborus multifidus

Helleborus multifidus subsp. hercegovinus

Helleborus multifidus subsp. istriacus Helleborus

multifidus subsp. multifidus Helleborus niger – Christmas

rose or black hellebore Helleborus

niger subsp. macranthus (syn. H. niger major)

Helleborus niger subsp. niger Helleborus odorus

Helleborus odorus subsp. laxus Helleborus odorus subsp. odorus

Acaulescent Species Helleborus orientalis – Lenten rose, Lenten

hellebore, oriental hellebore (N.B. most of the Lenten hellebores in gardens are now considered to be H. × hybridus)

Helleborus orientalis subsp. abchasicus (syn. H. abchasicus)

Helleborus orientalis subsp. guttatus Helleborus orientalis subsp. orientalis (syn. H.

caucasicus, H. kochii) Helleborus purpurascens Helleborus thibetanus (syn. H. chinensis) Helleborus torquatus Helleborus viridis - green hellebore or bear's-foot Helleborus occidentalis (formerly H.

viridis subsp. occidentalis) Other species names (now considered invalid)

may be encountered in older literature, including H. hyemalis, H. polychromus,H. ranunculinus, H. trifolius.

Hellebore Hybrids Hybridizing accidentally and

deliberately has given us an array of colors, shapes, and sizes of flowers and interesting leaf types.

Commercial hellebore generally are mixed or hybrid thus the botanical name Helleborus hybridus. Helleborus occidentalis is often used but is incorrect generally although it is used in the hybridzing process a lot.

Hellebore hybridus are mostly acaulescent.

Interspecific Hybrids These species were

awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit

H. argutifolius[6] H. foetidus[7] H. lividus[8] H. niger[9] H. × sternii 'Blackthorn

Group'[10]

Hellebore Flower

a = sepals b = stamens c = carpels d = honey leaves

Hellebore Fruit and Seeds

Propagation Seed-plant seed directly in the

garden in early summer or in pots (same time they would be released naturally)

Soil must remain moist throughout the summer

Seeds will germinate the following spring, as soon as the first leaf emerges they should be put in individual pots if pot grown

It will take three years from seed to get a flowering size plant (seeds cause some people skin irritation)

Propagation Division-take divisions in spring

or fall. The caulescent species cannot be propagated by divisions but acaulescent species can. You must identify which type you have to propagate by division. Most commercially available varieties are acaulescent.

Tie leaves together loosely to keep from breaking them, then split the clump with a shovel and dig out half the clump to move to a new location.

Some growers claim hellebores don’t need nor like to be divided.

You’re Taking Home? Winter Jewels ‘Berry

Swirl’ Double orchid shades,

some with a creamy-white center kissed with orchid edging. One of the world's top hybridizers, Marietta O'Byrne has created this wonderful Winter Jewels™ Strain. A delight in the winter garden. Deer resistant!

You’re Taking Home Winter Jewels ‘Onyx

Odyssey’ Take a dark voyage into the

world of double slate, purple and black flowers. Long lasting bloom color, which doesn't fade to green, makes this strain a better value in the retail store. One of the world's top hybridizers, Marietta O'Byrne has created this wonderful Winter Jewels™ Strain. A delight in the winter garden. Deer resistant!

You’re Taking Home Winter Jewels ‘Golden

Lotus’ Charming, golden, lotus-

like flowers. Many of these double yellows will have red edges and some will have red streaking on the backs, as well. One of the world's top hybridizers, Marietta O'Byrne has created this wonderful Winter Jewels™ Strain. A delight in the winter garden. Deer resistant!

Questions?