Are hellebores expensive?
Hybrid hellebores are expensive to purchase (about $17 for a one-gallon pot) because it takes three to five years for them to bloom, and growers generally only sell blooming plants. You can buy smaller plants through mail order. But the most economical way to increase your collection is to propagate your own plants. Hellebores are usually sold in flower in winter and spring, for immediate planting. They are widely available in garden centres and by mail-order from online suppliers.If you have not already done so, it’s not too late to cut back your Hellebores. Cut back all the older leaves right down to ground level. This helps to reduce hellebore leaf spot by removing any affected leaves, as well as making the flowers easier to see.Food for Bees: Since hellebores bloom in January/February, they provide some of the very first food of the year for bees. This is critical to bee health and survival. Plus, when everything else is dormant or dead in winter, their blooms emerge and brighten even the darkest days.A late season planting is most advantageous for Hellebores as they put on the majority of their growth in the cool months. Our 20ct Hellebores, which are first available in Fall, meet this need.Collecting hellebore seeds The best advice for anyone who is intending to grow Hellebores from seed is to get them into the ground as soon as possible after they’re ripe, which is usually some time between late spring and early summer.
Do hellebores spread quickly?
These plants are also fairly deer and rabbit resistant. While hellebores do spread, they are considered slow-growing plants that can take up to 18-months to reach their mature size. It’s amazing how much a garden can change with the addition of plants. After the hellebores are all planted, they’re given a good drink. Growing hellebores from seed can prove lengthy and tricky, as they can be difficult to germinate and take a few years until they flower. However, if successful growing hellebores from seed can be very rewarding. Some hellebores self-seed freely and the seedlings can be left to grow where they are or potted up.Hellebores fit so gracefully into the landscape. Some of mine help fill the space at the bases of leggy deciduous shrubs and small trees like my dwarf almond. They coexist beautifully with companion plants like wild violets, setcreasea, artemisia, irises and spring bulbs.I always cut off all the flower stems before the pods split. Finally, we’re often encouraged to divide our hardy perennials every three years and to replant the healthiest pieces in improved soil. However hellebores, like hostas, are best left to mature into large clumps and not split.Removing dead flowers from hellebores during the flowering season is normally not necessary; the slightly pink or green tones the flowers take on as they fade actually extend the flowering season in winter.It takes a hellebore grown from seed three to five years to arrive at blooming age, whereas a lot of other perennials you buy just take one year. That means the growers have to spend a lot more time with the hellebores. Some are grown from cuttings, which is also an expensive process.
What is the problem with hellebores?
Hellebore leaf spot is caused by the fungus Microsphaeropsis hellebori. You are most likely to see infections when new plant growth is occurring from late winter until summer. The disease affects most Helleborus species and hybrids. Helleborus niger can be particularly badly affected by leaf spot. Hellebore is poisonous to both people and animals and should not be eaten. Some people have a mild skin irritation reaction after touching the leaves, sepals, or flower stems of a hellebore plant.
Are hellebores difficult to grow?
Hellebores are not fussy plants. Provide good drainage and they will quite happily grow away with very few problems. Preparing the soil before planting will help your hellebores produce extensive root systems. They will become reasonably drought tolerant once they are established. Hellebores are at their best in evenly moist well-drained soil in partial shade. Water well during extended dry periods; they are drought-tolerant once established.Soil type: Plant hellebores in moist but well drained soil. Aspect & position: Full or partial shade in the middle of the border or under shrubs and trees. As the delicate markings of the flowers are best appreciated from underneath it can be a good idea to plant them on a slope or raised area such as a retaining wall.Hellebores that need protection from frost and winter wet are best planted permanently in containers, so they can be easily moved in winter into a greenhouse, under the house eaves or into a dry, sheltered spot at the base of a wall.Do Hellebores spread? Yes, hellebores have a natural inclination to spread, thanks to their extensive root systems and self-seeding habits. To manage their growth and prevent overcrowding, periodic thinning of plants may be necessary. What to do with Hellebores in the summer?
When’s the best time to plant hellebores?
The best time to plant hellebores is from autumn to spring, and they are most often bought in flower, ready for planting. However, they can be planted at any time of year, although it’s best to avoid the dry summer months. Hellebore can be pruned from early winter until early spring. Some gardeners prefer to cut back the old foliage around Christmas time, to avoid inadvertently removing the forthcoming blooms. In addition, the leaves may look tattered by early winter from insect damage, wind, or disease.
What is the lifespan of a hellebore?
Hellebores with stems are caulescent, such as the stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus). The acaulescent types are long-lived at 20 years or more. The caulescent types are short-lived, only for a few years, but they reseed freely. Until about 30 years ago, hellebores were uncommon in home gardens, but they now have a place in every good perennial nursery.