"Helleborus"    

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Helleborus Cut Flowers

Helleborus niger is called the Christmas Rose; Helleborus orientalis is the Lenten Rose. Helleborus has saucer-shaped flowers, about 2 inches (4-5 cm) in diameter, formed by five, wide, overlapping petals surrounding a central cluster of long, gold-colored stamens. H. niger has white petals. H. orientalis has cup-shaped petals in white, pink, or purple and sometimes spotted.

Available in winter. Buy when the flowers are already open, but before the petals have completely separated from the center. They last 5-7 days in a vase. Helleborus flowers can be dried.

Helleborus foetidus - Stinking Hellebore

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 7

Height: 20 in (50 cm)

Spread: 18 in (45 cm)

Type: herbaceous perennial

Flowers: Green.

Stinking Hellebore gets is common name from the odor of the flowers. Blooming occurs in spring and the flowers are pale green with maroon at the petal tips. Provide a shaded growing area with a moist, well-drained soil. Helleborus foetidus is native to Europe.

Helleborus niger - Christmas Rose

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8

Height: 12 in (30 cm)

Spread: 15 in (37 cm)

Type: herbaceous perennial

Flowers: White

Christmas Rose produces flowers from fall to early spring. It likes fertile, slightly alkaline soil and partial shade. Helleborus niger dislikes heat, intense sunlight and dividing. Christmas Rose is poisonous. Provide a sheltered growing area to prevent injury during the winter. The dark green foliage is evergreen.

PROPAGATION: Christmas Rose may be divided or started from seed. Division is done in spring or fall but the roots are brittle and easily injured. Starting the plant from seed is difficult and slow. The seeds are planted as soon as they are ripe. Six weeks of moist chilling is recommended. It may take 3 years from seed to flowering.

Cultivars of Helleborus niger:
'White Magic' - White flowers with yellow stamens.

References for Cultivar: Weston Nurseries 1999.

Helleborus orientalis - Lenten Rose

Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8

Height: 18 in (45 cm)

Spread: 18 in (45 cm)

Type: herbaceous perennial

Flowers: White, pink, purple

Lenten Rose blooms later than its relative Helleborus niger. Helleborus orientalis likes fertile, slightly alkaline soil and partial shade. It dislikes heat, intense sunlight and dividing. The Lenten Rose is poisonous. Provide a sheltered growing area to prevent injury during the winter. The dark green foliage is evergreen.

PROPAGATION: Lenten Rose may be divided or started from seed. Division is done in spring or fall but the roots are brittle and easily injured. Starting plants from seed is difficult and slow. The seeds are planted as soon as they are ripe. Six weeks of moist chilling is recommended. Helleborus orientalis may take 3 years from seed to flowering.

Helleborus Disease Problems

Black spot causes large, irregular, black spots on both sides of the leaves. The spots have concentric zonations and often run together. Many leaves yellow and die prematurely. In spring there may be black, canker-like spots on the leaves, stems and flower stalks. The stems shrivel at the point of infection and fall over. The leaves and unopened flower buds wilt. The flowers may also have black spots. Remove infected leaves and flowers. The causal organism is Coniothyrium hellebori and there is no chemical control.

Blight and crown rot caused by Botrytis cinerea may be a problem.

Related information on Helleborus diseases:
Botrytis Blight
Fungal and Bacterial Leaf Diseases

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The information below "Helleborus foetidus - Stinking Hellebore" kindly supplied by Michigan State University Extension, Ornamental Plants.

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