Ok, drumroll here….I think I can say that Hellebores (Helleborus x hybridus) hybrid Lenten Rose,  are my favorite perennial plant. A plant that is becoming known by non-gardeners as well as garden enthusiasts, Hellebores or commonly known as Lenten roses, is a plant that is worth seeking out.

What other plant resists deer, neglect, likes shade-even deep shade, is evergreen, arranges beautifully, and has stunning flowers?  And is highly addictive and collectable? Did I mention that it blooms for 3 – 4 months of the year?  That was not a typo- Hellebores bloom for at least 3 months, sometimes longer, starting in mid February for me in the mid-Atlantic region, and soldiering on until at least April or May. Increasingly, I have seen them for sale at Trader Joe’s and other unlikely places, so I think finally people are waking up to the value of this flower. Poisonous, deer turn up their nose at these beautiful plants.

Winter Champion – One of the First to Bloom

So, why isn’t this plant in more gardens? Several reasons…First they are pricey.  Retail prices can range from $15 to $50 apiece. Second, when most people are browsing the garden centers in May, the plants have mostly finished their blooming show and people move on to fresher blooming plants. Third, Hellebore flower colors are usually subtle greens, pinks, and whites, and many gardeners want something brighter and flashier. But hybridizers are working on that with increasingly colorful flowers being released every year. Finally, many hellebores have downward facing flowers – that means they are hard to see in the garden, unless you bend over. Again, hybridizers are lifting the profile of the flowers and tilting them outwards.

Trending

So what else is trending with Hellebores, besides outward facing blooms? I see more exciting colors, some unusual dark tones (amber to obsidian and surprisingly- yellow), increased plant heights which adds to the showiness, flower doubling/tripling(increased petals), larger flowers, increased vigor, and more exotic patterns of speckling, veining, and picotee edges. To add to their appeal, Hellebores can be successfully grown in most zones, are low-maintenance, evergreen, and deer resistant.

For bee and nature lovers, this plant is extra important because it is an early nectar source for pollinators. There isn’t much else blooming when they are in their glory in late winter and I am confident that the flowers will be visited by bees on a warm February day. Though not a native plant, I consider this flower integral to keeping my bees going in late winter.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

Another drawback other than their high price, and I warn my clients about this when I include them in a garden design – they take a while to establish. To get a nice size blooming clump, it will take about 5 years if you start with a quart size plant. So, in this day and age of instant gratification, this can be a deal breaker for some people.

Very few perennial plants can tolerate the winter snow and wind that nature throws at them in January and February and bloom right afterwards, but Hellebores emerge in late February with a welcome spring show. Usually they sail through with minimal browning, but this year was an exception. Severe winter weather in the mid-Atlantic set my Hellebores back, big time. In early to mid-March, they are finally blooming, at least 3 weeks behind schedule. I have cut all the foliage off so new foliage can take its place.

The common name for Hellebores is Lenten Rose, because they bloom around the season of Lent. Hybridizers have latched onto this species and specialized in creating a rainbow of colors, such as yellow, burgundy, spotted, black, pinks, and picotees. And the names!….Honeyhill Joy, Ivory Prince, Amber Gem, Berry Swirl, Cotton Candy, Black Diamond, Golden Lotus, Onyx Odyssey, Rose Quartz, Peppermint Ice, are just the tip of the iceberg. They sound like colors on a paint stick.

The normally downward facing flowers have been bred to tilt outward instead of facing the ground so that you can easily see the flower show. Hybridizers have also turned their attention to the foliage, breeding for variegation, burgundy flushed stems, and silvery sheens. All these efforts must have paid off as they are flooding the nurseries and the prices are top dollar. I have seen Hellebores for more than $50 a piece. They are getting as expensive as some hybridized peonies!

Ground Cover

The culture of Hellebores is so easy that if you just plant them in a shady or partly shady spot, you’re done, and have created a planting that will last for many years.  I have some in sunny locations here in Maryland that thrive, but in more southern states, like Florida, plant them in full shade. In particular, Hellebores are a valuable player for dry shade, the nemesis of many gardeners. I use them as a ground cover under large trees where deer are prone to browse. For lots more on shady ground cover choices, go to Made for the Shade.

Hellebores will set seed all around the plant and when the seedlings appear, dig them up and scatter them around. Expect seedlings to bloom in about 3 years. You will have large clumps in no time that last for years and years.

Planting & Culture Tips

1. When transplanting a nursery grown hellebore from the pot, shake the roots loose from the root ball and free up the roots.
2. Top dress your established hellebores with well rotted compost or manure for a soil boost.
3. Don’t plant the crown of the plant too deep as this can affect flower production. Plant the crown so it is just barely buried.
4. Plant with companions of arum, snowdrops, mini iris, crocus, grape hyacinth, scilla, daffodils, woodland phlox, trillium, and bleeding heart.
5. You can dig up hellebores and divide them but be aware that the plants have massive root balls, much like hostas.
6. Be aware that hellebores are toxic to pets and humans.

As I noted earlier, if you nip the older outer leaves in late winter, the new stems and leaves can come up in the center.  That is it for maintenance!

My advice for buying these beauties is to buy them in bloom so you know what you are getting as the colors can vary widely. Take a nursery shopping trip in late February and early March to get the best pick.

Containers

Planting Hellebores in containers isn’t something you see often, but it works quite well and should be done more. I have a shady container with several Hellebores planted and when they get too large, I can easily transplant them into a spot in my garden. But you can keep the Hellebores in containers for years with little care besides some fertilizing.

 

Arranging with Hellebores

To arrange with these flowers, it is best to pick them after the blooms have been open for several weeks and is mature. See the video on how I take care of this.

So, gardeners of the world-Are you listening?  Tell all your friends and neighbors about this plant. It should not be a secret any longer.

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