![]() If you purchase in the spring it is likely that the plant will already be blooming, or just about to bloom. There is often a push to sell them in the early spring, and may be when you can find a better variety. ![]() Hellebores are readily available at your local garden centers all year long. Propagation Hellebore is often propagated using seeds, but some professionals also resort to the vegetative method. The sepals are decorative, because they are not petals they will remain on the plant for a couple of months. These flowers are made up of five petal-like sepals which form a ring around the actual flowers which look like a cup that holds the nectar. Plants in this family send up stems from a lush bottom growth of foliage. Hellebores are a member of the Buttercup family. This is likely because it is the most hybridized species of the lenten rose, offering up a large range in flower colors. Helleborus orientalis is the most popular species chosen by gardeners. They are best used in shaded gardens, or in containers. These plants are typically grown and sold in one gallon pots. Widely loved for its early spring blooms, hellebores continue to give gardeners hope upon their return every year. Cultivation Hellebores are grown outdoors: they are used for planting in parks and rocky gardens between shrubs, in borders, as well as in pots for cutting and winter forcing. Now that’s a little too scientific for me, so in short if you, your kids, or your pets eat any part of these plants your stomach, heart, intestines and nervous system could be affected. The type of toxin found within the hellebore plant as a cardiac glycoside. It is likely that the reason the plants are so toxic is to defend itself from insects and animals. Every single part of the hellebore plant is toxic to animals and humans. ![]() I am sure the reason that none of the above uses for hellebore are still in use today is because of the plant’s toxicity. It was also used to keep animals free of evil spirits, and to help the heart and mind to be clear and happy. The plant was used to help cleanse the mind of pervasive thoughts. The first documentation was around 1400 BC in Greece. Many of these stories include well-known historical people using parts of the hellebore plant to poison their enemies. The history of the hellebore is dappled with dark stories. Its name is derived from the Greek words “to harm” and “food”. The hellebore originated in Southern Europe. Plant History The hellebore genus includes about 20 species that originate from central, eastern and southern Europe and western Asia. Keep on reading to find out how to plant, grow, and care for hellebores in your garden this season! Keep your garden full of life after the hellebores pass by pairing them with plants such as heuchera, ferns, or hosta. Hellebores grow and bloom beautifully alongside your spring bulbs. Growing in popularity over the past twenty or so years due to hybridizing, hellebores are becoming a staple in the spring garden. They are popular perennials for shaded areas, or well planned shade gardens. ![]() There are more than 20 species of hellebore today, with some of them hybrids that are quite beautiful. One of the only perennials that bloom in late winter to early spring, this unique perennial flower ranges from creamy white to nearly black. Often Hellebore is one of the first friends I meet. After a few sunny days, and maybe some snow melting I know I find myself bundling up and heading out to tip-toe through my gardens to search for ANY signs of life. Winters without plants can be long and dreary for gardeners. ![]()
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