What is the difference between hellebore and Helleborus?

Commonly known as hellebores (/ˈhɛlɪbɔːrz/), the Eurasian genus Helleborus consists of approximately 20 species of herbaceous or evergreen perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, within which it gave its name to the tribe of Helleboreae.

How do I identify a hellebore?

Hellebores are relatively straightforward to identify. The bell-shaped to open cup-shaped flowers with five, petal-like sepals, together with a mass of stamens are distinctive. These are followed by a small cluster of prominent, seed-bearing carpels. The leaves are usually palmate with fingered lobes.

Is Lenten rose the same as hellebore?

Helleborus ×hybridus is a group of evergreen, late-winter or early-spring flowering perennials in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) with the common names of hellebore, oriental hellebores, or Lenten rose (the name Christmas rose refers to H. niger).

Where is the best place to plant a hellebore?

Grow hellebores at the front of a border in sun, or full or partial shade, depending on the variety you choose. They do best in fertile, well-drained soil, but can also be raised in pots in a loam-based compost.

What do you do with hellebores in the summer?

Hellebores prefer partial to full shade during the summer months but require more sunlight in winter. An ideal planting location is underneath a deciduous tree where they are shaded by foliage in summer but are exposed to full sun after the tree drops its leaves in the fall.

Do you cut back hellebore?

Hellebore pruning is relatively easy. The plants are tough, and the appearance of new growth gives a clear signal to act. All it takes is a pair of sharp secateurs and all you have to do is take each leaf one at a time, trace the stalk back to ground level, and cut it off leaving about 5cm (2″) to prevent rotting.

Should you cut back Lenten rose?

With the Lenten rose (Helleborus x hybridus), cut the previous year’s foliage back to the base right as the flowers begin to emerge in January or early February. This lets you really see the flowers and also prevents a fungal disease that can spread from the old leaves (if you leave them on) to the new leaves.

Why do hellebores face down?

And interesting tidbit shared by our perennial grower, Jen Mistretta, is in regards to the double flowers. You might notice that double flowers usually face downwards. This is a natural growth pattern to protect the blooms from rain, since water sheds well off the downward facing blooms.

What’s another name for Helleborus?

The hellebore, Helleborus, is a member of the expansive Ranunculaceae family. It’s not one plant, but a family of approximately 20 species, plus various subspecies. And it’s often called the Lenten, Christmas, or Winter rose.

Do hellebores need sun or shade?

Hellebore Care. Hellebores are at their best in evenly moist well-drained soil in partial shade. Water well during extended dry periods; they are drought-tolerant once established.

What do hellebores mean?

hel·​le·​bore ˈhe-lə-ˌbȯr. : any of a genus (Helleborus) of poisonous Eurasian herbs of the buttercup family having showy flowers with petaloid sepals. also : the dried rhizome of a hellebore (such as H. niger) formerly used in medicine. : a poisonous herb (genus Veratrum) of the lily family.

Are hellebores toxic?

There are several species of the Helleborus genus; Christmas rose, stinking hellebore and purple, all of which are poisonous to mammals. Part of the buttercup family, they flower shortly after Christmas, and the flowers are creamy white tinged with green.

Why are hellebores so expensive?

Why are hellebores so expensive? These flowers are generally quite expensive because it takes anywhere between three to five years for them to bloom, and growers generally only sell blooming plants.

Will hellebores spread?

Do hellebores spread? Yes, hellebores will self-sow. However, allowing them to do so may result in unexpected hybrids if you grow multiple types in close proximity. Thin out any new seedlings that are too close to mature plants.

Do you deadhead hellebores?

The best time to deadhead caulescent hellebores is after the flowers have finished blooming, by removing the entire stem at the base.

What to do with hellebores when they finish flowering?

But all good things do come to an end. Deadheading hellebores is easy. Just remove the old flower stems when the start to decline. Cut them back to the base of the plant.

Should hellebores be cut back?

The best time for pruning a hellebore plant is late winter or early spring, just as soon as the new growth begins to appear. This new growth should come straight up out of the ground as little stalks. These stalks should still be surrounded by a ring of last year’s big leaves.