Introduction

Hellebores are the unsung heroes of winter. Whatever the weather, and whether or not they are cared for or neglected, they power on and flower at the dullest, darkest and coldest time of the year. They are rarely seen in gardening shows or flower festivals due to the fact that they flower in June or July – hence their common name in New Zealand is the “Winter Rose.”

Description

Hellebores are an evergreen perennial which generally grow 20 - 30cm in height. The roots are a woody rhizomatous type system. The leaves are leathery and dark green in colour. On mature plants they are divided into seven to nine segments. The flowers grow above the leaves.

The flowers are carried on rounded fleshy stems that are most commonly plain green but some are spotted. Usually only one flower grows per stem, although there may occasionally be two or even three.

Flower colours vary from white to cream through to rose, dusky pinks, deepest maroon to almost black. Yellow ones are also available. Those with pale green flowers are beautiful in their own right – even though green flowers don’t sound attractive – seeing is believing! Flowers can be spotted, striped and even speckled.

Hellebores appeal most often to connoisseurs, but are becoming more popular as more colours and differing varieties become available.

Care

Hellebores require little care, often thriving on neglect. They will grow in any reasonable garden soil, preferring those that are slightly alkaline to an acid soil. Dappled shade is most ideal, and they can stand dry shade that gets autumn and winter rain. These days they are often planted underneath deciduous trees.

Ensure that you prepare the area by incorporating humusy, mature compost into the soil beforehand, as hellebores enjoy a moist soil rather than one that dries out quickly. Keep the soil enriched with compost and animal manures and give the plants a small dressing of general fertiliser in autumn – but take care not to get it on the crown.

Plant your plants in large holes, at least 40-45 cm in diameter and 15-29cm deep. Ensure the plants are planted at the right depth – growers normally suggest about 2.5cm of soil above the point where the roots break from the crown of the plant.

Cutting the leaves off herbaceous hellebores in autumn or early winter provides space for new leaves and flowers to grow.

Most hellebores are hardy in winter conditions. Always check with your garden centre or grower that the plants you’ve selected are appropriate for your conditions.

Pests and Diseases

Hellebores grown in the warmer areas can be prone to attack from fungal diseases. A dressing of dolomite lime in December can help to prevent this.

As with many plants, tender new growth can suffer from aphid attack. Check on the flowers and under leaves as these appear. Squashing aphids with your fingers is often the best form of defence.

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