Page 46 - Free State Spring 2022 - June FINAL

GROWING WITH EDUCATION A Ginny Rosenkranz

Hellebores are Not

Easy to Overlook

ost people look at the Landscapers often plant Hellebores on wide. The glossy dark green leathery
first blooming crocus or shady slopes for the excellent drainage basal leaves are palmate divided into
Msnowdrops as the sign that and the better views of the nodding 7- 9 segments. The margins are smooth
spring will soon be here. They are the flowers. If a landscape doesn’t have a from the center to the top third and
first to bloom but are so tiny that if they shady slope, look into the Christmas then the margins become serrated.
are not planted by a walkway, path or Rose, which has 2-3 inch white flowers The foliage of Helleborus orientalis is
trail, they are often overlooked. that face outwards. These are often also clump forming, growing 12 – 24
used to create new hybrids that holds inches high with leathery deep gloss
The Hellebores are not as easy to
their flowers outward for better viewing. green leaves, deeply lobed and often
overlook with their dark glossy green
Lenten Rose with 2-4 inch white, pink or serrated. Hellebores are winter hardy
evergreen leaves and their large
purple flowers with overlapping tepals, in USDA zones 4-9 which covers all of
beautiful flowers. They begin to bloom
which typically nod downward, making Maryland. Winter winds can damage
even before the crocus and snowdrops
it a challenge to view their flowers. The the old foliage, and if trimmed off,
in late December, January or February
new hybrid cross have created beautiful the new foliage will highlight the
depending where in Maryland the
outwardly facing flowers that can be arching flowers beautifully. Like many
landscapes are and how warm or cold
enjoyed in any landscape. herbaceous perennials, the Hellebores
the winter is. Sometimes they bloom prefer fertilizer in the fall to help initiate
through the snow. Because all the Helleborus bloom in the late winter to early spring flowers.
very cool weather, the flowers can
Although there are no native American last from February to May. Each of The plants contain glycodises, which
Hellebores, there are many species the single blooming flowers have five can cause the heart to slow, saponin,
native to the British Isles, Europe, Asia overlapping tepals surrounding the which acts on the nervous system, and
and China and of them, two are often nectaries, which surround the stigma helleborine, a purgative, found in the
found blooming in Maryland gardens. and stamens with their bright yellow roots. All of these make the Hellebore
Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger) and anthers. The tepals are either pure family toxic, but the bitter tasting plants
the Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis) white, white with colorful spots, flecks usually stop pets, deer, rabbits and
both have flowers that bloom during or veins, or many shades of pink, voles from feasting on them.
late winters into spring with brightly purple, apricot, yellow and very dark
colored, easy to see and enjoy flowers. purple that in some lights look black. In the past propagating the Hellebores
There are a few differences between The tepals can be oval with rounded was relatively easy, simply done by
the two. The Christmas Rose needs tops or pointed tops depending of the collecting the seedlings from under
shade and consistently moist, alkaline variety. The plants hold their heads the leaves of the parent plants. The
to basic soils to thrive. The Lenten Rose either outward or gently nodding to seedlings offer a mixed bag of colors
prefers dappled shade and moist but keep the pollen dry during the often- through cross-pollination, some
well drained acidic soils and, once inclement weather. The foliage of spectacular colors, vigorous growth
established, the Lenten Rose is drought Helleborus niger grows as an upright or larger flowers while others might
tolerant. be weaker or not as showy. Growers
bushy clump 12 x 18 inches tall and would keep the good and toss out

46 SPRING 2022 • Free State News