Hellebores, oh hellebores, let me count the ways I love you!
I must admit up front, I have a longstanding love affair with hellebores. You might know them as Lenten rose or Christmas rose, named for the seasons in which they bloom. And if you’ve grown them too, I’ll bet you are smitten yourself. Disclaimer: once you grow one, you will want to collect them all!
For about 15 years, I have had the privilege of seeing how hellebores come to be, from the moment the breeder transfers the pollen from one flower to another to create new seedlings, through the arduous process of growing them for sale at retail. One can’t help to accrue a certain reverence for these beauties, knowing their origins.
As an avid shade gardener, I have collected hellebores for my home garden for over a decade, amassing dozens of specimens from every source I could find. I even had the deck in my backyard built around one-of-a-kind hellebores I couldn’t bear to see disturbed.
True story.
I. Want. Them. All.
What makes hellebores so wonderful?
If you garden in shade, you garden in the company of critters—deer, rabbits, mice, slugs, and more. You have to choose what you grow wisely so your investment doesn’t end up on Bambi’s dinner plate. Here’s the best part: you can plant hellebores without fear. Nothing eats them! Deer have literally bedded down with my hellebores and not munched a single leaf or bloom. Other critters follow their lead and leave them be.
Besides being indestructible, these plants offer four seasons of interest beginning with their late winter through spring blossoms and continuing with their broad umbrella-shaped, evergreen, leathery green foliage.
Hellebores are among the very earliest perennials to flower right along with your daffodils and tulips, continuing for six to eight weeks before they dry in place on the stems.
New foliage will sprout just as the flowers are finishing up, eventually enveloping the spent blossoms which will then deposit their seeds at the base of the plant. The evergreen foliage remains standing until the following spring when a new set of flowers and leaves take their place. It’s nature’s perfect process.
Grow your own bouquet
Don’t say I didn’t warn you! You are going to want to grow bushels of these amazing flowers once you get started. I plant more hellebores and fewer tulips—which are the squirrels’ and rabbits’ favorite—every year. Plus, since I often cut flowers from my garden to enjoy indoors, I like to plant a few extra for that use.
Picked hellebore blossoms can be enjoyed in two ways: floating and as a cut stem. I reserve a special glass bowl just for this purpose every spring. Floating hellebore blossoms last anywhere from a few days to over a week, depending on the age of the flower when you pick it. Cut stems last nearly as long, though you’ll want to re-trim the stems daily to extend their vase life.
The Wow!® series of king-size hellebores from NGB member Breck’s is especially good for cutting because of their extra-long, sturdy stems and impressive 4-inch wide blossoms. Three generations of the van der Meijs family in Germany have been breeding hellebores for this use for over 50 years. In the garden, you’ll enjoy their outward-facing blossoms without needing to turn their pretty faces up to look at you.
Here’s what you’ll need to know to grow hellebores successfully.
- Sun – Hellebores are shade-loving plants that need a maximum of six hours of sunlight per day to thrive. They’ll be happier if planted where they receive morning sun rather than scorching afternoon rays.
- Water – Once they are rooted in, hellebores can handle dry shade like a champ. But for that first year when you plant them, keep the soil moist but not wet.
- Soil – Think of hellebores as woodland plants. They will grow best in humus-rich, loose soil that is well-drained and may struggle in heavy, wet clay. If you garden in clay soil, plant hellebores in amended soil in a higher part of your garden where water does not pool or grow them in containers. Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil pH is preferred.
- Hardiness – Most of the hellebores you’ll find at stores are Helleborus orientalis hybrids, which are perennial in zones 4-9. Earlier-blooming Christmas roses (Helleborus niger hybrids) are hardy in zones 3-8. Don’t worry if it snows on your hellebores. These super hardy plants love the cold!
- When to Plant – Hellebores are best planted in cool weather, as they are actively growing then. Spring or fall will suffice, and if you live where winters are relatively mild, they can even be planted in winter.
- Feeding – Hellebores are the opposite of other perennials in that they do most of their growing when it is cold outside, especially in fall and spring. Consequently, you’ll want to feed them with a slow-release plant food formulated for perennials at this time instead of in the summer. Don’t be tempted to feed any other perennials in the fall while you’re out in the garden since, unlike your hellebores, they will be shutting down their growth for the season.
- Pruning – For purely aesthetic reasons, you will want to prune away last year’s tattered foliage sometime before the new flowers emerge in spring. Remove the entire leaf and stem, trimming them to ground level to make room for the new flowers and foliage that will emerge from the center of the plant in spring.
- Bloom Time – When you purchase a hellebore in spring, you may not see its flowers that first year. That could be because the plant is too young to produce flowers, or the plant may have bloomed already before you purchased it. Either way, your hellebores should flower the following year beautifully. It’s hard to wait, I know! Depending on which type of hellebore you are growing and how cold your climate is, it could bloom anytime from early winter through late spring.
- The label that comes with the plant should indicate when you can expect to see blossoms. Hellebores need to experience freezing temperatures for about eight weeks in winter to be able to actively grow and bloom the following year, which is why they are not recommended for very warm climates.
4 favorite cultivars
Choosing my favorite hellebores is like asking me to name my favorite flavor of ice cream—I love them all! But here are 4 of my favorites right now!
Wedding Party® ‘First Dance’ – This double-flowered, soft yellow hellebore blooms on stately upright plants, its outward-facing blossoms greeting me every morning in mid-spring. What I love most is that its blossoms age to bright chartreuse and persist for most of the summer, perfectly matching the ‘Age of Gold’ hosta it is planted beside in my full shade garden.
Dark and Handsome Double – Specially bred to be vigorous and floriferous! This gorgeous hybrid is tops for yielding loads of lush, petal-packed flowers. Arriving in the early days of spring, its deep maroon-black blooms provide a startling contrast to shaded green spaces glistening with new-fallen snow.
HONEYMOON® ‘Rome in Red’ – If I could award a top prize for the most robust hellebore in my garden, this stunning cultivar would be a shoo-in. It’s incredibly vigorous, quickly sizing up to form a full, thick canopy of refined umbrella-shaped, evergreen foliage. On a three-year-old plant, I lost count after the 50th blossom. You’ll enjoy its rich maroon to wine-red flowers every year in mid-spring.
Confetti Cake Double – Wedding-white blooms with burgundy sprinkles dazzle in shade. This carefree hybrid brings unexpected cheer to the winter garden with its large 2½-3″ double flowers that resemble delicate pastry confections. The pristine white petals feature a dramatic spattering of burgundy specks that intensify near the centre, creating visual depth and charm.
Written By: Susan Martin, Gardener Sue News
For NGB Member: Breck’s
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15 Comments. Leave new
I live in SE Michigan and have a wildlife habitat of native plants. I have a couple questions. Are these native to Michigan and is their toxicity a problem for the wildlife of the habitat?
Hellebores originated in Europe, Morocco, and temperate Asia, and were introduced to North America for their stunning early-spring blooms. In a typical Michigan winter, these resilient plants begin flowering in March and last through May—offering a remarkable 8 to 12 weeks of showy blossoms.
This timing is perfect for pollinators, providing a vital nectar source when little else is in bloom. While it is true that hellebores are toxic, their incredibly bitter taste usually prevents animals (or curious humans) from consuming enough to cause serious harm.
I planted my hellebore last fall in shade under a maple tree. It was wonderful in spring but has not flourished over the summer and fall. Could it be in too shady a spot? I have 2 others that I’d like to plant in the same space but may have to find a spot that gets more sun. It is in full shade. I live in Nova Scotia.
Yes, it sounds like it is too shady under the Maple Tree for the hellebore. Though they are considered shade plants they do best when they receive morning sun.
I live in Alberta, Canada in zone 3 & wonder which Hellebore I can plant in my zone successfully? I didn’t think they were for our zone but have seen just a few in our garden centres the last year?
Thank you
Yes, there are a few Hellebore that can be planted in Zone 3. One is from our NGB member Monrovia – https://www.monrovia.com/double-fantasy-christmas-rose-winter-dreams-series.html.
Thank you so much
I was given one for Christmas! I live in Illinois. Can I grow it indoors til spring???
Hellebores prefer cool winter temperatures. Therefore, keep your potted plant in as cool a spot as possible, preferably one with bright light. That is keep it on an enclosed porch, drafty entryway, unheated garage or other chilly area at all times. Water sparingly, but do not let the plant get so dry that it wilts. Allow the soil to dry just somewhat between waterings, and avoid wetting the leaves. Wet soil and wet foliage can lead to disease.
To put outside in the spring, transition your hellebore outside and get it acclimated to staying out day and night. Once the danger of a freeze has passed (danger of frost is okay), plant the hellebore in your garden. Choose a spot with part shade and protection from afternoon sun. Excellent drainage is key.
I have just read about Hellabores so nice. I’m going to plant some this spring.l can’t wait.Thank you.YoursAlan.
Can you site a sauce for stating H. Niger is hardy to zone 3. Throughout the years of growing & speaking to Hybridizers they always stated they were zone 6-8, marginal in colder area. We live in zone 5b, and rarely do they survive unless in a very sheltered location, in a rich, raised garden.
Yes, we rely on the Missouri Botanical Garden website quite often: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c990
Oh oh oh, I do so love my hellebores. Seeing them in Bloom early in Winter is just beyond fabulous. Thank you for this great article on Lenten roses. I really learned a lot. Momma Nature
I live near Pensacola FL. It took 9 years f0r blooms from the Hellebores I brought from PA. It was worth the wait!
We are in zone 7b and experiment with planting in various areas: full shade, partial shade, morning sun, afternoon sun. We have many varieties and have them scattered in most locations. I enjoy springtime in the garden, removing the older damaged leaves and discovering the small plants that are surfacing. We have gifted many friends with plants and enjoy hearing how they discover the beauty of hellebores. We have some plants that will have blooms going into June.