Helleborus: Hellebores
Here in the Pacific Northwest, the blooming of hellebores is a favorite late winter reminder that spring is right around the corner.
Plant care & info
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Helleborus
Common Name: Helleborus, Lenten Rose, Christmas Rose
Temperate zones from Europe to Western China, with many also growing in the Balkan region of Southeastern Europe.
Most prefer dappled shade and woodland conditions with deep, fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil. Hellebores can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions as long as plants have good drainage.
Easy to grow in the shade garden. They are an excellent companion for hostas, woodland flowers, ferns and other shade-loving plants.
Many Helleborus are evergreen, but they do benefit from having old foliage removed before blooming in late winter to early spring. In the shadiest conditions, plants may be smaller and flowering may be sparse. In addition, they don’t like to be divided or transplanted.
Helleborus have few problems with disease, but they are susceptible to black fungal rot. Keep an eye out for aphids. Slugs and snails also are known to attack young growth.
The genus of Helleborus is comprised of 15 different species and belongs to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Hellebores are perennial and largely evergreen. Their flowers provide color and interest in the shade garden when other plants are dormant. In addition, their leaf structure is interesting enough to make them a year-round foundation of the shade garden, even when their flowers are spent. Hellebores are also deer resistant and somewhat drought tolerant.
Hellebores are usually low growing plants with short-stemmed, often toothed, palmate foliage. Their most impressive feature is their five-petaled, bowl-shaped flowers which appear from late winter into spring. Flower colors include apricot, yellow, green, metallic blue, slate, dusky pink, maroon and white–just to name a few! In addition, petals may be spotted or picotee, referring to the narrow band of darker color found on the edge of the petals. Some varieties feature double-petalled flowers, giving them a nostalgic rose-like quality.
See our features on the Winter Jewel Series.
