Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Care for a Hellebore Plant
How to Care for a Hellebore Plant. Hellebore plants (Helleborus spp.) are cool-season perennials that bloom in a wide range of colors at a time of year when few outdoor flowers bloom. Also known as Christmas rose and Lenten rose, hellebores often spring up through openings in late-winter snow. There are several hellebore species and varieties,...
Hellebore plants (Helleborus spp.) are cool-season perennials that bloom in a wide range of colors at a time of year when few outdoor flowers bloom. Also known as Christmas rose and Lenten rose, hellebores often spring up through openings in late-winter snow. There are several hellebore species and varieties, hardy from U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9, but all have the same basic needs. The plants grow best in semi-shaded, well-draining areas, where they flourish and multiply with little maintenance or care. Well cared for hellebore are relatively pest- and disease-free.
Things You'll Need
Garden shears
Household disinfectant
Organic compost
Melon rind
Gloves
Step 1
Remove the previous year's foliage from hellebore plants as midwinter approaches. The old foliage detracts from the blooms that will soon arrive. Use sharp garden shears to cut foliage cleanly. Sterilize the blades with household disinfectant before and after your prune. This prevents the spread of disease to or from your plant.
Step 2
Water hellebores as needed to supplemental natural precipitation. Mature plants withstand drought, but they prefer moist, well-drained soil. Good drainage is especially important to prevent roots from damage. Water thoroughly when you water, then allow the area to dry out before you water again.
Step 3
Spread 2 to 3 inches of organic compost around hellebore plants, and work it lightly into the top layer of soil. This provides gentle nutrients, and it is all the fertilizer your hellebores need. An extra layer of compost as mulch provides nutrients, helps retain soil moisture and prevents weeds.
Step 4
Keep hellebore plants pest-free by regularly checking plants. They have very few pests and are not attractive to rabbits, voles or deer. Slugs may bother hellebores in moist situations. If slugs are a problem, take a piece of annual melon rind, such as canteloupe (Cucumis melo), and turn it upside down. Slugs will come to the rind overnight and can then be destroyed.
Step 5
Remove hellebore flowers when blooms finish if you don't want more hellebores in your garden. When spent blooms are left in place, the plants set seed and multiply. If you allow hellebores to increase, the seedlings can easily be moved to a new location the next year. Seedlings are not true to seed, so the color of new plants will be a surprise.
