I grow very original flower- black hellebore. I will say that he does not show high in light neutral soil. If it is poor on the site, I recommend enriching the composition with complex fertilizers.
In this article I will talk about how to plant an ornamental crop and how to properly care for it. The photo shows a variety of plants.
Hellebore (flower m) belongs to the buttercup family. According to various sources, it has from 13 to 22 species, but not so many are cultivated in horticulture.
Hellebore grows in the mountains of Europe and Asia Minor. His minimum height- 20 cm, maximum 55. The herbaceous plant is distinguished by a short thickened rhizome.
Its stems are simple, not too branched, the leaves are rich green, leathery in type. At the end of winter, the perennial forms flowers resembling cups, they last right up to the beginning of summer. Varieties of hellebore differ in shades, most often found:
- white;
- pale yellow;
- light pink;
- purple;
- blue-black.
Bicolor plants are especially popular. Some varieties of hellebore have double flowers, while others have simple ones. Ornamental culture is valued for being resistant to cold and drought. Novice growers should be aware that hellebore is a poisonous flower.
Proper fit and care features
Decorative culture can grow on the same bed for 8-10 years. I note that she does not tolerate picking, so initially you need to choose the right soil. Hellebore thrives in light, neutral, well-drained soil. You can plant it near trees. The flower effectively stands out against the background of inconspicuous plants.
Place 700 g of compost in each. When planting a hellebore flower, be careful not to injure the roots! Fill the holes with potting mix, tamp down and add water. Within 20 days after planting, I advise you to water the plant abundantly.
Before the beginning of the flowering period, it is necessary to loosen the earth. The flower should be weeded, as weeds interfere with its photosynthesis. It is necessary to remove dry and weakened leaves, after the flowers wither, mulch the shrubs with peat (compost can be used instead of this natural material).
If the weather is hot, you need to water the plant more often. It is important to weed and loosen the site in time. Hellebore positively perceives bone meal and mineral compositions. Fertilize it 2 times in 3 months. As you can see, planting and care are easy even for a novice gardener!
Reproduction methods
You can use seeds or shoots. Most gardeners practice generative propagation. I recommend growing seedlings.
I recommend sowing the seeds immediately after you collect them, around the twentieth of June. Bury the seed 1.5 cm into a loose, fertile substrate. It is desirable that it contains humus and is moist.
Next year in the spring you will see shoots. As soon as they form two or three leaves, transplant their beds. Remember that heleborus, aka hellebore, feel good in partial shade.
Grow the crop in a daughter bed for 3 years. After it takes root, plant it in the garden. The stinky hellebore reproduces its own kind on its own.
Some gardeners practice vegetative propagation. Mature plants are divided so as to obtain shoots with developed roots. I advise using bushes that are already 4.5 years old. years. Sections are treated with crushed coal.
If you want to grow black hellebore, divide the adult plant in early April. For those who prefer to grow oriental, I advise you to divide the bush in early September.
Possible pests, diseases
Hellebore can be attacked by insects:
- shellfish;
- snails;
- slugs.
They attack the leaves. Aphids feed on cell sap. If on garden plot there are mice, you need to lay out the bait. Snails and slugs go for beer, caught pests are harvested by hand. In the fight against aphids, insecticides are used (the most popular is Antitlin). Actellik is used to expel caterpillars.
If the hellebore is not properly cared for in the open field, it is overtaken by downy mildew. Other diseases dangerous to the plant are anthracnose and ring spot. To avoid spotting, you need to fight aphids.
If you see plants in your garden that show signs of this disease, remove the diseased parts and burn them. To prevent ring spotting from overtaking other garden crops, treat the area with fungicide preparations.
Anthracnose appears as dark spots on the leaves. These spots have a characteristic pattern in the form of a ring. Having found crops with signs of anthracnose in the garden, their affected areas should be removed, and then treated with preparations with copper.
Downy mildew is manifested by deformation of the leaves, spots appear on their surface. The affected parts of the hellebore are cut off, after which they are treated with copper oxychloride.
Collection and storage of seeds
You can get seeds in late July and early August. I note that the boxes suddenly burst. If you do not put gauze on them, the seeds will be on the ground.
Planting material quickly loses its similarity, if possible, use it immediately, do not keep it until spring! The hellebore is weather-resistant, but if the winter in your area is cold, you should cover it. I mulch the area with dry foliage, but spruce branches can also be used.
Popular types of hellebore
There are several types of hellebore, each has characteristic features.
Black
This species is especially popular and is often cultivated by gardeners. Black hellebore can be found in Germany, as well as on the territory of the Balkan Peninsula. The plant prefers mountainous terrain, its maximum height is 32 cm.
A feature of black hellebore is flowers rushing up. Decorative culture blooms 12 - 15 days. One of its advantages is winter hardiness. The plant normally tolerates temperatures up to -34 degrees. The most popular variety is Niger.
Caucasian
From the name you can understand that the perennial grows in the Caucasus, but it is also found in the mountains of Turkey. The peculiarity of the species is that it blooms for a long time (about 1.8 months). The Caucasian hellebore is distinguished by large peduncles, their average size is 45 cm.
The flowers of this plant are not directed upwards, they are lowered, depending on the variety, they can be white or brownish. The advantage of culture is that it is resistant to temperature changes.
Beginners and experienced gardeners should be aware that Caucasian hellebore is very poisonous. You need to be extremely careful when planting and diving a plant.
Abkhazian
This is one of the most beautiful views. It forms not only green, but also purple-green leaves. The Abkhaz hellebore is distinguished by large reddish peduncles and drooping red flowers (the average value of 1 piece is 7 cm). The flowering period of this culture is short, about a month. Its advantages: decorative, frost resistance.
Oriental
It grows in Greece and the Caucasus. The average height of this perennial is 25 cm, the diameter of its purple flowers does not exceed 4.5 cm. The disadvantage of the species is that it is susceptible to fungal diseases. The most famous variety is White Swan.
Smelly
As we have already said, this species spreads by self-sowing. It has small flowers in the form of bells, grows in Russia and Asia. The leaves of the stinky hellebore are dark green, the stem is dense.
The perennial has tall flower stalks. It is praised for its resistance to temperature extremes. Gardeners cultivate the whole variety - Wester Flisk.
Corsican
Sardinia is the birthplace of this perennial. Unlike other species, Corsican hellebore grows as much as 70 cm! It actively grows and forms large flower stalks. The flowers of this species are yellowish, bloom in mid-February. If you grow Corsican hellebore, be sure to cover it with spruce branches!
Hellebore is valued for its resistance to diseases and harmful insects. To keep your plant beautiful and healthy, give it due attention.
Insects attack in situations where the gardener chooses the wrong place for planting or brings in too much water. I do not advise planting a flower in soil with high acidity.
There are many legends and tales about this amazing flower: some say that the plant is able to protect against evil spirits and diseases, while others talk about its divine origin. Perhaps that is why in Europe so many skilled gardeners are happy to plant this herbaceous perennial, and in Germany it is considered a traditional gift for Christmas.
Everyone wants to buy a garden unpretentious hellebore flower (Helleborus), regularly buy terry varieties of different colors in the markets, and plants with simple greenish-white buds grow in the garden.
Why do sellers fake? Mainly due to the difficulty of breeding bright terry varieties of hellebore. After all, such plants propagate only vegetatively, and they cost solid money. Tell me, how can a buyer not be tempted when they offer a “chic varietal hellebore” for almost nothing?
The plant received the name "harrow" due to its amazing qualities - it is not at all afraid of frost. Peduncles develop right under the snow, and when the oppression weakens, they get out. So they stick out of the snow among last year's leaves that have preserved the greenery.
To give the most accurate description garden flower hellebore, you need to start by saying that it is herbaceous perennial, whose height rarely reaches more than 50 cm. It is characterized by a short rhizome, a stem without lateral branches, leathery foliage and cupped flowers of extraordinary beauty. Zimovnik differs in that its riot of colors combines soft cream, purple, rich black, canary and purple undertones. Different types of hellebore can have simple or terry-edged buds.
From mid-April to the end of May, hellebores are pleasing to the eye. So long for spring flowers. How do they do it? Strictly speaking, what we take to be petals are overgrown sepals. This is what prolongs the period of decorativeness, because even after setting and shedding seeds, the sepals remain on the plant, turning pale, but retaining the illusion of flowering.
Not only early flowering makes the winter hut a truly extraordinary treasure for every landscape design: traits such as drought tolerance and hardiness allow it to be planted in almost any soil and climatic conditions. However, it should be remembered that a seemingly harmless perennial is fraught with surprises: it, like all members of the Buttercup family, is very poisonous.
How to plant hellebore on the site
Hellebore are wonderful hardy plants that you can plant and forget about care for many years. They will not endure unless the swamps. Year by year they only become more beautiful, the bush is more powerful, the flowers are more numerous. The leaves of hellebore hibernate, but in the spring they quickly lose their decorative effect. Best of all, after winter, such a type of hellebore as black and its varieties is preserved.
It should be noted that in one area, the "Christmas rose" can grow safely for a whole decade, and that is why the choice of a place for planting it must be approached wisely. If you take this process lightly, then you need to be prepared for the fact that the transplant, which this plant does not like very much, will negatively affect the health of the herbaceous pet.
Despite the fact that planting a cold-resistant hellebore flower can be carried out in any climatic conditions, gardeners recommend giving preference to such soil as drained clay, which will be sufficiently moist and loose. It is also necessary to pay attention to the fact that one should not be afraid to plant perennials near other bushes and trees. In a well-equipped garden, hellebore feels great next to ferns, corydalis, crocuses.
Hellebore are often sold in early spring, and even in February. The seedlings are rootlets placed in peat. It is difficult to save them: the roots that do not yet “work” are prone to rot. They need to be planted as soon as possible in pots with very poor loose soil (peat in half with coarse sand) and keep in a cool place almost dry. You need to water a little in the pan or around the perimeter of the pot. They are planted as soon as the snow melts (to be sure, cover the plant with lutrasil).
It is important to know that planting in open ground and further care for the hellebore will be successful only if the gardener has chosen for this plant species such as black, smelly, oriental or Caucasian wintering.
You need to warn yourself against buying hellebore with bare roots. Such plants are sold at garden ruins. Weakened plants are unlikely to survive. Besides planting material, most likely of dubious origin.
Pay attention to the photo of the correct landing and further care for the hellebore: except that pits for seedlings must be made small sizes- approximately 30x30x30 - they should be dug at a distance of at least 30 cm from each other, so that in the future the care of the plants will be safe and easy. Beginning gardeners should also take into account the fact that dug holes must be covered with compost halfway. Note: the process of planting the "Christmas rose" itself is best done in April or early September. After the hellebore is planted, you need to take care of caring for it - we are talking about watering (abundant and frequent in the first three weeks), mulching, weeding and protection from pests and diseases.
How to grow hellebore and how to propagate this garden flower
Look carefully at the photo of the hellebore garden flower: if you responsibly approach not only the process of placing the plant in the garden, but also its further care, the winter hut will give a lush color every year:
- Caring for a perennial is not something difficult and difficult to accomplish.
- First of all, in early spring, when buds are about to begin to appear, you just need to remove the dried old foliage so that it does not become a focus of infection and fungal blotch for new shoots and shoots.
- Secondly, after flowering stops and fades, it is imperative to mulch the ground around the seedlings with compost or peat.
- Thirdly, in summer period it is necessary to regularly water the winter hut and carefully weed and loosen the area where it grows.
- Experienced gardeners also advise not only to take planting and further care of hellebore flowers seriously, but also to feed it, which should be done at least 2 times per season. Usually bone meal or mineral fertilizers are used for this.
It is possible to propagate hellebore by seeds, but it is not so simple. If you sow fresh seeds, they will sprout in the spring, dried ones will need two periods of stratification, that is, two winters. And flowering will have to wait 3-4 years.
However, those who choose to this way breeding, should know a few useful tips. One of them concerns the fact that the seeds of the plant must be sown immediately after they mature and are harvested - that is, around the end of June. You also need to understand how to properly plant a hellebore using seedlings: in particular, the material is placed in loose and well-moistened soil to a depth of at least one and a half centimeters. Shoots can be observed next year, in March. Only after the sprouts have a few leaves, they can be moved to the flower bed, where they should be for another two years.
Pay attention to the photo of the hellebore garden flower, the description of which was presented above: this plant was born not with the help of the seed method of reproduction, but due to the division of the bush. This technique involves digging out five-year-old winterers, dividing their root system into parts and seating them in new places. It should be noted that in this way a species called black can be bred in spring, and oriental in autumn.
Care when growing hellebore: control of pests and flower diseases
Pay attention to the photo of hellebore flowers: after planting, as part of plant care, in order to get such a lush flowering, protection from numerous threats is also mandatory.
One of the terrible enemies of the "Christmas rose" is aphids, and slugs that love to eat leaves, caterpillars and mice also cause a lot of trouble. Rodent pests are fought with baits with poisoned food, but slugs will have to be collected manually. In addition, the rest of the pests will need to be destroyed using insecticides - for example, actellik and biotlin.
When caring for a hardy hellebore flower, special attention should be paid to all kinds of diseases of this plant. Ring spot and anthracnose bring a lot of harm to the perennial and grief to true gardeners. However, experts try not to despair, and fight necrosis - spotting - by removing and burning the damaged parts of the winter hut. Anthracnose, which manifests itself in the form of dark brown spots, is treated with drugs that necessarily contain copper.
If the cultivation and care of hellebore flowers is approached responsibly, then the plant has tremendous endurance and resistance to such diseases and pest attacks. However, when a novice gardener does not follow the basic rules - for example, planting a "Christmas rose" in soil with high acidity - the winter hut becomes vulnerable, as a result of which it begins to hurt.
That's why experienced craftsmen beginners are advised to make sure that the chosen site is suitable for the flower before starting to grow hellebore. To do this, you need to take a soil sample - a teaspoon will be enough - pour the earth on the glass and carefully pour the vinegar. In the event that a lot of foam has appeared, it means that there is an excess of potassium salts in the soil, the average amount of white flakes indicates the neutral acidity of the soil, but the lack of foaming indicates that it is time to fertilize the area with dolomite flour or wood ash
Winter hut for planting in the garden: features of species and varieties (with photo)
For growing in middle lane Russia suits quite a lot of species and varieties.
This is hellebore black (El. niger) with white flowers reddish (N. purpurascens) with reddish green flowers Oriental (N. orientalis) with purple flowers Caucasian (N. caucasicus), having greenish-white flowers with purple speckles in the center, Abkhazian (El. abchasicus)- wine-red, the brightest of the species. All these plants are winter-hardy and reliable, live long and do not require any care, except for mulching with foliage.
To know how to grow different types of hellebore, you need to study in more detail information about their natural habitat, features and existing varieties.
For example, the so-called black wintering is considered one of the most popular among gardeners. The thing is that the plant is distinguished by large pale pink flowers, the core of which is striking in its snow-whiteness. This variety blooms for no more than two weeks - in early April. However, its amazing winter hardiness - the perennial can withstand -35 ºC - compensates for such a short period of riot of colors. Pay attention to the photo with varieties of black hellebore: Potters Will has the largest snow-white buds among all the brothers, and Prakoks begins to bloom in November.
The reddish winterer adorns any garden for a whole month - April - with rich purple buds. It began to be cultivated two centuries ago.
Look at the photo of such types of hellebore as eastern and Abkhazian: the first is distinguished by exquisite lilac flowers, and the second by bright red. It should be noted that the eastern winter hut is very often subjected to fungal infections. But the Abkhaz "Christmas rose" is attractive because it has different varieties.
The Caucasian hellebore is also found in landscape design: it is covered with yellowish-green buds at the end of April and lasts for several weeks. However, you need to pay attention to the fact that this particular species is considered to be the most poisonous.
Can be grown with us stinky hellebore (N. foetidus), but you will have to tinker with it: in order for it to bloom, you must save it in winter above-ground part, since inflorescences appear only on overwintered shoots. To do this, the plant has to be covered with spruce branches, fallen leaves or lutrasil.
The perennial, which is called Corsican, is distinguished by yellow-green buds that adorn the plant from the beginning of April. This "Christmas rose" needs to be covered for the winter.
Especially fashionable caste - hybrid hellebore. Usually these are varieties bred on the basis of eastern hellebore, for which the group received the name "oriental hybrids". The flowers are painted in a variety of bright colors, there are also terry forms. Plants thrive in our climate.
The most famous and popular are the following "garden pets":"Violetta", which is characterized by fluffy pale white buds, "Queen of the Night" with rich purple flowers and "Belinda", which strikes with a terry bouquet of a light green-pink hue.
Hellebore plant in landscape design (with photo)
In a summer composition, a combination with, hosts, will be beautiful. When planting a young plant, do not forget that in a year or two it will turn into a decent bush.
In addition, hellebore can be planted in the garden if the owner of the site wants to create a real shady alpine hill. In addition, large decorative bushes are ideal for arranging a variety of curtains - landscape gardening ensembles.
Pay special attention to the photo of blooming hellebore in landscape design: it really looks great and complements the picture of a riot of colors.
However, remember that it is better not to grow hellebore flowers at home in places easily accessible to children, because this unique perennial cannot be called harmless - that is, non-poisonous.
Since ancient times, people have believed that hellebore, planted near the house, is able to protect against magic and the attacks of evil spirits. Over time, they also started talking about him as a miracle doctor who helps to overcome various ailments, cleanse the body and even lose weight. excess weight. And hellebore, planting and caring for which even a beginner can do, blooms early and is so beautiful that it was dubbed a Christmas rose.
Types of hellebore
In nature, thickets of evergreen hellebore (helleborus) from the buttercup family are found in Western Asia, Central Europe and the Mediterranean. The perennial is resistant to cold and drought and begins to bloom when the flower beds are still empty. Large inflorescences reach a diameter of 8-12 cm, and the color of the petals depends on the type and variety of the plant.
Perhaps the most spectacular representative is black hellebore. In nature, it blooms in December, but in our latitudes - closer to March. This species got its name because of the thin roots, which really have a black color. Flowers on a fleshy stem are usually solitary. The petals are completely snow-white or with a greenish and pale pinkish tint, the stamens are yellow. Basal leaves are dense, dark green in color, with a glossy surface. The plant grows up to 50 cm in height.
There are several varieties of black hellebore. Potter's Wheel has snow-white flowers up to 12 cm in diameter. Pgaecox blooms in pale pink, and will decorate an empty flower garden in late autumn. The white petals of the White Magic variety gradually turn red.
The eastern hellebore is no less attractive, it blooms one of the first, when the soil has not yet thawed from the winter cold. The view is unpretentious and frost-resistant, will please with a wide palette of shades. Inflorescences can be cream, white, purple, yellow-lemon, pinkish, the color of Burgundy wine. Sometimes the petals, resembling an asterisk, are speckled, and the flat dark green leaves look like an open palm.
The Caucasian hellebore is not so beautiful during the flowering period, but the foliage retains its decorative effect until autumn, and sometimes, in winters with little snow, even longer. The plant is poisonous, so it should be handled with extreme care. However, this species is often used for medicinal purposes. The smelly hellebore does not smell very pleasant, however, we love gardeners for their exotic appearance. It has multiple pale green flowers and deeply cut leathery leaves.
Among the selective varieties, there are stunning specimens, for example, with blue-black petals or terry.
How to plant
Hellebore does not like transplants, so it is advisable to immediately choose a suitable place for him where he can live without problems for about 10 years. There are no special requirements for the soil, but it is better if it is loose and well-drained. Helleborus prefer partial shade, they can be safely planted under spreading trees or among shrubs and. Then in the summer they will be protected from the hot sun, and during the flowering period they will receive enough sunlight. In addition, falling leaves and needles will serve them as mulch.
reproduction
Hellebore can be propagated by the seed method or by dividing the bushes.
Growing hellebore from seeds. It is not recommended to store seeds for a long time, as they will quickly lose their germination. Therefore, immediately after harvest, plant them for seedlings in loose and moist soil, deepening by about 1.5 cm. Shoots will appear in March. It is time to dive into a slightly shaded place for grown plants with a couple of leaves, but the bushes will bloom only after 3 years. During this time, they should be transplanted to a permanent site, preferably in September. True, sometimes seeds are planted directly in open ground in June.
Division. Propagating hellebore in this way is easy. In the spring, when the bush has already faded, the root is divided into parts and each of them is planted in previously prepared holes.
The rules for planting hellebore are the same for delenki, and for bushes grown from seeds. Pits are made at a distance of about 30 cm, a little is laid out on the bottom. Carefully holding the plant, it is necessary to fill the space with soil, gently tamp it down and moisten the area. For the next 20 days, it is important to remember to water regularly.
Helleborus black and oriental reproduce well by division. Smelly hellebore responds poorly to root division, but it easily spreads on the site by self-sowing.
Planting and caring for hellebore is a simple task. The plant needs regular watering. To keep moisture in the soil with the onset of heat, after the bushes fade, the area around is mulched with compost. In gratitude for the top dressing, the helleborus will bloom more magnificently. Bone meal can be used as a fertilizer every 3 months.
Slugs, snails, caterpillars, rodents and aphids can become a threat to the plant, then insecticides will help out. If dark spots are visible on the leaves, which gradually increase, they are probably struck by a fungal infection, which most often happens in wet weather. It is better to remove diseased leaves and treat the bush with a fungicide.
Perennials that are properly cared for (watered on time, do not forget to fertilize, etc.) practically do not get sick, as a rule, the weakest specimens are affected.
Among the perennial herbaceous plants, the hellebore flower Helleborus (or helleborus, helleborus, wintering) occupies special place because it belongs to the category of winter flowers. No wonder the second name of the flower is the Christmas rose. The Mediterranean is considered its homeland, and Helleborus gained popularity due to its healing properties. With its help, they fought against gout, various kinds of paralysis, epilepsy, skin, gynecological diseases, now hellebore grass is widely used for weight loss.
Despite all its attractiveness, the flower is poisonous. Taking it like medicinal product, you should strictly calculate the dosage and be sure to get individual recommendations from your doctor.
Decorative hellebore, being evergreen, is able to decorate a shady area of \u200b\u200bthe garden or flower beds, without losing its eternal beauty even under the snow.
Several natural and breeding (hybrid) are known. The stem of the flower is absent, directly from the basal rosette on long hard cuttings, large hard leaves of a palmate shape come out.
The flowers of the hellebore are large, they can reach a diameter of 5 cm. The varied color of its petals, from white-cream to pale red, looks simply fabulous against the background of melted snow cover.
Where is the best place to plant hellebore Choose a landing site
- Just the ideal place for hellebore to grow in a summer cottage would be one that provides a light shade. Thanks to partial shade, the plant will delight with its flowering for a long time., a larger and more saturated leaf blade will form.
- Direct sunlight, especially at noon, will speed up the vegetation, which will lead to the rapid withering of the flower and the formation of small faded leaves.
- From a decorative point of view, helleborus looks great in a place where evergreen conifers act as a background.
soil for hellebore
- Hellebore prefers alkaline soils (in extreme cases, neutral).
- Grows vigorously under trees on turf.
- Hydrated lime and ash are added to the soil with an acidic reaction.
- It is also useful to throw away the husks from the brewed tea where the helleborus grows.
If you're unsure if your garden soil will please a Helleborus, take some sod from a nearby forest. This will be the ideal soil for wintering both in structure and composition. It can fill the landing hole and mulch the area around.
Watering the plant
- In regions that are characterized by snowy winters, artificial watering of plants is not practiced. This is possible due to the natural moisture of the earth. melt waters.
- Despite the fact that overly hard leaves practically do not evaporate water, in arid regions watering the hellebore is necessary in hot weather.
Fertilization
Helleborus belongs to the type of plants for open ground, which do not need additional fertilization. Soil, air and water give them everything they need during the growing season. For example, the necessary minerals come from the soil, and mineral nitrogen comes from the air. In order not to expose the root of the plant, it is necessary to bring mulch under it. Since mulch is organic material, then it begins to decompose over time, turning into organic fertilizer.
How to plant a hellebore or transplant to a new place
The beginning of autumn is the time when you need to start planting a plant. A couple of months before winter, it will take root perfectly and will safely endure the cold season. Hellebore is able to grow over time in one place due to its ability to. It creates entire colonies by drowning out weeds.
Annual self-seeding adversely affects the beauty of the flower bed. Therefore, it is so important to do the thinning of the helleborus in time. Very often, to rejuvenate a flower bed with a plant, young growth is dug up and transplanted, while at the same time getting rid of the old one.
When planting, it is important to take into account the features of agricultural technology:
- The hole is needed shallow, up to 30 cm, given that the hellebore root is small. Approximately the same diameter of the hole is needed.
- If you have a margin of patience, you can put a small stone on the bottom, sprinkled with sand. such a simple improvement will make it possible to make good drainage, which will save the plant from damping out in winter and putrefactive diseases when the site is flooded with melt water in the spring. However, drainage is not necessary if water does not stagnate in the area.
- The soil, as already mentioned, needs a slightly alkaline or neutral, but not acidic. It is good when the soil is rich in humus and seasoned with sod for looseness.
- Growth buds do not need to be buried, seedlings are planted, maintaining the natural level of the root neck.
- Water sparingly to moisten the soil well, but not over-compact it until the surface is covered with a crust when it dries.
You need to monitor the humidity of new plantings for the first week, water every day in the evening, 1 liter under a bush. If the weather is wet, nature will do everything for you.
Planting hellebore in spring
- The plant can also be planted in the spring, having prepared a hole in advance, somewhat deeper than the existing root system.
- At the bottom, it is desirable to put rotted compost or humus.
- Set the bush vertically, carefully straighten it so that it evenly fills the space of the hole and does not bend.
- Holding the plant, sprinkle the root with earth, lightly press it with the palm of your hand.
- The planting level should be the same as in the seedling pot or a couple of cm less. Abundantly watered.
How to propagate hellebore by dividing the bush and seeds
- Dividing bushes and planting hellebore is best in the off-season, in spring or autumn.
- To properly divide the bush, dig it out carefully, rinse the roots with water so that the growth points can be easily seen.
- We take a sharp knife and carefully cut into pieces between growth points, leaving at least 2-3 sprouts for each division.
Reproduction of hellebore is carried out by two main methods: the first is vegetative, which consists in dividing the bush of the plant, and the second is seed. The vegetative method of propagation is considered the most effective, the seed method does not really justify itself due to a sharp decrease in seed germination over time. Yes, and it is extremely difficult to meet hellebore seeds in free sale.
Growing hellebore seedlings from seeds
Helleborus seedlings can be obtained by showing extraordinary patience. Freshly harvested seeds should be sown as quickly as possible before they even dry out.
- It is better to use homemade wooden boxes at least 10 cm high so that enough nutrient soil can be poured. There should be holes in the bottom of the box for good drainage. For the same purpose, you can sprinkle a little expanded clay on the bottom before filling the box with a mixture.
- We sow shallowly, 0.5-1 cm.
- We leave at least 8 cm between the grooves, since young plants are difficult to transplant and it is advisable to avoid diving. The distance between seedlings is 4-5 cm minimum.
- The sown seeds are taken to the garden and kept there until spring, not forgetting to moisten when the soil dries up, until the onset of the rainy season. Such a measure is necessary for the passage of natural stratification.
- In the spring, sprouted seedlings can be taken into the house and looked after in the usual way, simply by watering them in a timely manner.
- Please note that only two true leaves will appear in the first year, do not be nervous: the hellebore develops for a very long time.
- Only after 2-3 years will you get a full-fledged one, which is planted in the ground in spring or autumn.
- Only in the fourth or fifth year will it be possible to see how the hellebore planted from seeds blooms.
Some gardeners do not want to give a lot of space to the growing seedlings of helleborus, and all because it grows really very slowly. good option there will be a dense sowing in a box, and when the seedlings rise to a height of a couple of centimeters, they are carefully dived into separate pots. In this case, you can use tweezers, a table fork or an ordinary toothpick to gently “dig” the root and transfer small plant to a new place.
Thus, the transplant will take place with minimal damage, and the place on the windowsill will be saved for other purposes until the helleborus gains strength.
How to collect seeds for sowing?
The fruit box of the flower is cut off a little unripe and sent for ripening to a warm, dry and well-lit place. How do you know when hellebore seeds are ripe? The fact that the seeds are ripe will be demonstrated by the box itself, which will be covered with cracks. 2-3 weeks after removing them from a cracked box, they will still be suitable for sowing.
When the box is opened, experienced gardeners immediately begin sowing, for which a specially prepared permanent place is allocated. Seedlings germinate in the spring, and their flowering can be observed only after 4-5 years.
Sowing hellebore seeds in open ground
It is better to choose a place for the beds in the shade of trees, with light loam. Dig up the top layer, loosen, level.
- Shallow furrows are stuffed, at a distance of 15-20 cm.
- In a row, we try to keep the distance less often so as not to break through the plants. 8-10 cm is enough.
- For the winter, the garden bed can be covered autumn leaves so that early hatched seeds do not die from frost in the spring.
- Only after 2-3 years the plants can be planted in the designated places.
When hellebore blooms
Hellebore decorative how to grow Helleborus ‘Peppermint Ruffles’ Winter photo
As soon as the snow melts a little, flowers immediately peck through the ground, in March or even February, depending on the region. For this reason, the plant is popularly called wintering. Flowers have a variety of colors, literally enlivening a boring landscape. Much later, large green foliage appears, around April. Until the onset of stable heat, the flower continues to hang on a hard stem.
During this period, hellebore is pollinated by insects and a fruit is tied - a box. If for some reason the fruit is not destined to start, it simply dries up along with the peduncle. Helleborus blooms in the second year after dividing the bush and in the 3rd - 4th year after seed propagation. It should also be taken into account that the seeds not removed from the box dissipate on their own and germinate in the spring.
How to deal with hellebore pests and diseases
The plant is very hardy. A temperature of minus 30 ° C in the snowless steppes is not a sentence for him. More northern regions are not afraid of hellebore, where the snow cover reliably protects it from stronger frosts. In warmer and less snowy regions, hellebore begins to bloom from the month of December. Natural flower species do not need shelter, while their hybrid varieties from snowy and low-temperature winters can suffer. Therefore, they are covered with spruce branches.
Due to its poisonous properties, the tough foliage of helleborus is not attacked by harmful insects. In the most extreme cases, from excessive moisture, the hellebore can “catch” a fungal disease in the form of gray and brown spots on the leaf blade. The area affected by the fungus is cut out, and the entire plant is treated with antifungal drugs.
"Adult" Helleborus does not tolerate transplantation. When transplanted, it does not die, but simply stops flowering for several years. Therefore, it is necessary to choose in advance a place for the constant growth of helleborus in a summer cottage.
The only thing I want to warn you: exclude the contact of small children with this flower, especially with its juice. poisonous plant hellebore can be for them only an object of admiration, as a natural phenomenon, nothing more. Animals at the level of intuition feel the nature of the flower and do not touch it.
Hellebore (helleborus) is easy to care for and very beautiful. To have it on your site, you should not dig a flower in the forest. You need to use the services of nurseries, where you can buy a plant you like or try to grow it from seeds.
Types and varieties of hellebore with descriptions and photos
On the summer cottages you can see both hellebore species created by nature and their hybrid forms.
Hellebore oriental Helleborus orientalis
Very common, he is not afraid of either harsh winters or dry summers. It does not grow only in regions with permafrost. The flower of natural hellebore has with small touches. Its hybrid species have flowers of a wide variety of shades.
Hellebore stink Helleborus foetidus
Bright, saturated color green foliage contrasts with a pale green speckled flower. A strong, unpleasant odor emanates from this species of Helleborus.
Hellebore reddish Helleborus purpurascens
The leaves are narrowish, elongated, grows in height up to 20-25 cm, has a color of flowers with a reddish tinge of varying intensity depending on the variety. It has become widespread due to its decorative effect and unusual appearance.
Hellebore Caucasian Helleborus caucasicus
The most poisonous of all helleborus species. It has wide range applications in medicine. Its large, hard, shiny leaves are not prone to damage. The poisonous root is dug up and dried in a dark place. Hellebore root tinctures are used as an external remedy in the treatment of diseases of the skin and joints. When taken orally, complications incompatible with life are obtained.
Black hellebore Helleborus niger
It got its name from the color of the rhizome. In a young plant, the flower has a bright, White color into the smallest speck, while the flower of an adult plant acquires a pinkish tint. The second name of the black hellebore is the Christmas star. It is associated with the legend of Jesus Christ, who was given this flower in the Southern temperate latitudes on his birthday.
The stunning properties of the perennial, its incredible ability to survive in any climatic conditions, and its unique beauty have become the reason for the special love of gardeners for hellebore. Try planting it and you won't notice how it will become one of the most desired flowers in spring.
Varieties of hellebore in the photo:
Hellebore cultivation and care Application in landscape design photo helleborus apricot
The incredible resistance of the plant to the winter cold has gained considerable popularity among flower growers.
According to legend, a flower was born at the same time as Jesus, when a shepherd or a young girl’s tears fell to the ground due to annoyance that there was nothing to give the baby. Since then, hellebore has been called the flower of Christ.
Planting and caring for an evergreen herbaceous shrub will take very little time, because it grows without requiring any special attention.
And only by showing the world wonderful flowers that open right from under the snow, people are surprised by their vitality, the desire to resist the cold and survive in conditions where most plants die.
Hellebore grass has been known to people for so long that it is extremely difficult to determine its homeland. The plant is most widespread in the Balkans - about 10 of its species are found there.
The range covers most Europe, especially the Mediterranean and the mountain slopes of the Alps. In Asia, the plant is found on the border between Syria and Turkey, in Western China and the Caucasus.
It prefers to grow in the mountains, choosing shady gorges and darkened ledges of the plateau, it develops well among sparse shrubs and under a scattered veil of tree crowns.
Hellebore flower is a herbaceous perennial plant with long-leaved basal leaves, leathery and palmately dissected in species wintering with an undying aerial part and more delicate with a fine texture in deciduous bushes.
The rhizome is thick and branched with numerous black lateral roots.
Large hellebore flowers appear in early spring, often bloom when the snow has not yet melted, but snowdrops are not ahead of them.
In some species, they are carried by a flowering stem that develops in the spring of the current season, in others, flowers are formed from a bud at the top of a wintering leafy stem, which dies after flowering.
The flowers are large, light green, snow-white or purple, over 10 cm in circumference.
They have five sepals, many take them for petals that do not fall for several months, but the latter have degenerated into funnel-shaped tubular small nectaries.
The fruits are multi-leafed with rounded black seeds.
The poisonous properties of hellebore have been known since antiquity. Many legends and historical facts indicate the use of the plant not only for medicinal, but also for poisoning purposes.
According to Greek mythology, the priest Melampus used hellebore to cure the daughters of the King of Argos from bouts of insanity.
And the inhabitants of the besieged city of Kirra were forced by the enemies to surrender, poisoning the water supply with the help of a plant.
And in the death of Alexander the Great, some historians blame the hellebore or white hellebore, with which the commander was poisoned as a result of an overdose during the treatment of an unknown disease, perhaps malaria or some other.
Types and varieties of hellebore with photos and names
In the genus Helleborus, the Ranunculaceae family includes up to 14, according to other sources - up to 22 species of herbaceous evergreen or deciduous perennials.
Confusion with the number of species arises because some sources call some species independent, while others call them only forms of the more well-known hellebores.
Black hellebore (Helleborus niger) is one of the most common and decorative species, also known under the synonym of Christmas rose.
An evergreen shrub no more than 30 cm high with spectacular snow-white flowers about 8 cm in circumference, directed upwards, and not drooping, like in other species.
The foliage is wintering, leathery, dark emerald in color, remains until the corollas wither, and then a new one grows. Black hellebore withstands frosts up to 35 degrees.
Varieties with pink and scarlet flowers have been bred, a form with bluish-green leaves and large flowers is popular in culture - up to 11 cm in diameter.
Known hybrids that are less frost-resistant - nigristern (N. nigristern) and nigerkors (N. nigercors).
The eastern hellebore (Helleborus orientalis) is a very variable evergreen species that causes a lot of trouble for taxonomists.
Distributed in natural conditions in the Caucasus, Turkey and Greece. It reaches a height, like many representatives of the genus, no more than 30 cm.
Popular among flower growers is the eastern hellebore variety Schmiemann Strain Lady Series, abbreviated as Lady Series:
Pink Lady (Pink Lady) - with pale pink flowers; 
hellebore Red Lady (Red Lady) - with velvety dark cherry corollas; 
Blue Lady (Blue Lady) - with rich purple sepals; 
White Lady Spotted - with white flowers strewn with small coral specks; 
Yellow Lady - with lemon-cream whisks; 
Metallic Blue (Metallic Blue) - with a stunning bluish tint on the purple background of the sepals. The new Double series with double flowers is also incredibly attractive:
Double White - with snow-white double flowers; 
hellebore oriental double ellen picottee Double Ellen Picottee - with delicate pink-peach terry corollas; 
Double Ellen Red Double Ellen Red has red double flowers; 
Golden Lotus - with lemon yellow terry corollas; 
Double Ellen Purple - with luxurious purple flowers; - Spring Driam - with white-green terry sepals.
Abkhaz hellebore (Helleborus orientalis abchasicus) - in some sources it is considered independent view, in others - a form of eastern hellebore. The shiny basal leaves have an unusual purple hue.
Peduncles of cherry-purple color, rise above the bush by 30-40 cm, bear relatively small rich red flowers about 8 cm in circumference, often with maroon speckles.
Hellebore or Caucasian wintering (Helleborus caucasicus) - also not in all reference books is allocated to an independent genus. Grows on the shaded slopes of the Caucasus.
Long-leaved leaves, dissected into several segments, like a fan, hibernating.
Peduncles grow up to half a meter high, on their top one or 2-3 flowers of yellowish-light green or white-green color with a slight reddish-brown tint are formed. The fruits are long-beaked leaflets.
The stinky hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) grows in light forests and on shaded rocky outcrops throughout southwestern Europe.
A perennial with a leafy stem, at the top of which a dense inflorescence of small greenish bell-shaped flowers with a cherry-chocolate border is formed, despite the specific epithet, completely odorless.
Known variety Wester Flisk (Wester Flisk) with a grayish tint of foliage, very drought-resistant and requiring a high lime content in the soil.
Hellebore blushing or reddish (Helleborus purpurascens) - the species range extends throughout South East Europe from Hungary and Romania to Western Ukraine.
Large palmately dissected leaves, unlike other species, die off for the winter. From above, the leaf blades are glossy rich emerald, from below a bluish-green hue.
On peduncles 20-40 cm high, small, only 4 cm in diameter, purple-violet flowers are formed, with a grayish tint outside and green inside the corolla. They have an unpleasant odor.
Tibetan hellebore (Helleborus thibetanus) is native to Northwest China.
The leaves are palmately dissected, divided into 10-12 segments, die off in the middle of summer. The flowers are very delicate, white-pink color, drooping.
Planting and transplanting hellebore in open ground
An adult hellebore plant does not withstand transplanting well, so they try not to disturb it in vain, but only in case of special need.
In one place, the flower lives for several years, vegetates well and blooms profusely, and after transplantation it languishes for almost a year, does not form buds, but, as a rule, does not die.
When and in what soil is hellebore planted
Transfer robots are produced either in very early spring before flowering, or at the end of summer.
Choose a semi-shaded area in the garden between trees or shrubs.
In a lighter place hellebore also grows well, but it will have to be watered more abundantly.
The plant prefers to develop in heavy clay soil, drained and generously enriched with humus.
It responds very well to the introduction of lime, but it is still not worth it to alkalize the soil too much, it is better to maintain a neutral pH.
Some species, for example, smelly and reddish hellebore, are grown without problems on poorer sandy soil.
How to plant
Holes for planting are dug at a distance of 30-40 cm from one another. Approximate dimensions - 0.3x0.3x0.3 m. The dug soil is mixed with humus and sand.
The plant is dug up with an earthy clod and they try to disturb less root system.
Carefully roll it into a new hole and sprinkle with the prepared mixture.
Thoroughly tamp, water abundantly and crush the peri-root space with dry soil.
For another 2-3 weeks, moisten regularly, not sparing water, but not creating a swamp around the plant.
Water should not stagnate, and roots are undesirable long time sour in a puddle.
How to propagate hellebore
The hellebore is propagated in two ways - by seed and by division of the rhizome during transplantation, but the latter is not practiced so often because of the long-term survival of the plant in a new place.
More often, however, hellebore is grown from seeds.
Sowing hellebore seeds in open ground
They are harvested as they ripen from late May to late June and immediately sown in open ground.
Seedlings will appear at the beginning of the next growing season, but the likelihood of a high percentage of emergence of shoots is greater compared to sowing in the spring after dry storage.
Hellebore seeds lose their ability to germinate within a year.
It is possible to sow in open ground later, the main thing is that at least 2-2.5 months remain before the onset of cold weather.
In the garden, grooves are made in loose, moist, humus soil and seeds are planted in them to a depth of no more than one and a half centimeters.
Seedlings should be expected next year in the month of March, and the first flowers on them will bloom only in the 3rd year.
After the first 2-3 true leaves form on the sprouts, they swoop down on semi-shaded shkolki for growing, and are transplanted to a permanent place after 2-3 years in September.
Growing hellebore seedlings from seeds
If it is impossible to carry out crops immediately after collecting the seeds, they must be satisfied with double stratification - first warm, then cold.
To do this, planting material is sown in containers filled with a peat-sand mixture in a ratio of 3: 1, and kept for 3 months at room temperature at about 18-20 degrees Celsius.
For the next 1-3 months, containers with crops are moved to a cooler place, where the air temperature is about 4 degrees above zero.
Lightly moisten and make sure that mold does not appear on the surface of the soil mixture. A month or later, the first shoots begin to hatch.
In the spring, after return frosts on the soil, seedlings dive into semi-shaded places on the site, maintaining a distance of 20 cm between them, or into a greenhouse for further growth.
Seedlings are planted at a permanent place of growth already well-strengthened in late August or early September 3-4 years after sowing. They will bloom for 3-5 years of life.
The division of the bush
It is possible to propagate the hellebore by dividing the bush immediately after the end of flowering or at the optimal time for transplantation in early spring or with the arrival of autumn.
The root is divided into several parts and transplanted into pre-prepared pits.
Vegetative propagation is good because all the decorative features of the parent plant are probably preserved.
At seed propagation such confidence does not exist, usually varietal characteristics are lost, and the features of the natural species that participated in the creation of the hybrid appear.
Hellebore Care
The plant grows well in loose soil, so weeding between hellebore bushes is periodically carried out in summer and weeds are removed at the same time.
Watering and fertilizing
Moisturize shrubs all summer if the weather is hot.
Periodic rainfall will satisfy the plant's moisture needs.
For the sake of its preservation, the hellebore is mulched with dry grass in the root circle, and after flowering - with compost or decomposed peat.
Early spring top dressing with superphosphate or bone meal well stimulates the development of the plant, and with the establishment of warm sunny days, foliar top dressing with microelements is carried out.
For the winter, varieties that are weakly resistant to winter cold are covered with spruce branches.
natural views they are more resistant to temperature drops and do not need special shelter for the winter, especially if they are planted in a place protected from the wind.
hellebore pruning
The hellebore pruning procedure is necessary in the care of the plant, but it is equally important to do it correctly and in a timely manner.
Faded inflorescences are removed immediately after the peduncles wither to prolong flowering and prevent the formation of seeds and self-seeding.
During the growing season from the beginning of flowering to winter, only diseased and mechanically damaged leaves are removed from the plant.
Usually, at the end of the growing season, the leaves of perennials are cut off, but in hellebore they remain decorative all winter, and it is quite logical to leave them to decorate the garden.
In addition, if you cut the foliage in the fall, the cuts accumulate pathogenic microorganisms, which with the advent of heat create serious problem for a plant.
In this case, when is it right to prune old leaves?
Experienced flower growers consider - immediately after the appearance of flower stalks of the current season from under the ground.
The plant may look a little bare after pruning, but new foliage will grow back quickly.
It makes no sense to leave the old foliage until the end of flowering - during this time, young leaves grow, and last year's leaves generally become impossible to cut.
Diseases and pests
Among insect pests, hellebore is most annoyed by the aphid Macrosiphum hellebori, which infects the flowers and leaves of the plant.
Whitish-green individuals are about 2-4 mm long and form dense colonies on hellebores, covering them with honeydew, which can lead to the growth of consistent mold on leaves and flowers.
In Germany, the stinking hellebore is attacked by the miner fly Phytomyza hellebori. Its larvae damage the leaves, arranging passages in the tissues.
Affected leaf blades are covered with brownish-black spots. Adults hibernate on evergreen hellebore leaves.
If they are cut before the moment of departure and egg deposition, you can protect the plants from damage.
Systemic insecticides help in getting rid of pests, but pollinating insects suffer from them during flowering.
Hellebores also suffer from invasions of slugs, snails and mice.
The most common plant disease is gray rot, the symptoms of which are grayish-brown mold spots on leaves, buds and flowers.
The spores of the fungus are spread by air, and infection does not depend on the season, favorable conditions for it are warm and high humidity.
First of all, weakened specimens that have damage to the tissues of leaves, petioles, and peduncles suffer.
Other hellebore diseases include black or brown spotting caused by the fungus Coniothyrium hellebori, which appears as spots of the corresponding color.
Sick leaves, buds, flowers are cut out and destroyed, and the plants are sprayed with fungicides.
Also dangerous is the bacterial disease Pseudomonas viridiflava, which manifests itself on hellebore in the form of black leaf spots, necrosis of the petals and damage to the stems, and the viral infection of the plant Helleborus net necrosis virus, also called Black Death, or black death, the signs of which are blackening of the veins and ring patterns on leaf blades.
It is difficult to deal with these hellebore ailments, and diseased plants are destroyed so that they do not infect the entire backyard flora.
Hellebore in garden landscaping
Primrose forms flower buds in autumn and blooms as soon as the spring sun peeps through.
Only snowdrops are ahead of him, and with him crocuses, blueberries, early primroses bloom.
However, ephemeroids quickly leave the forefront spring garden, and hellebore, preening with young juicy foliage, remain decorative all summer.
For them perfect place in the so-called "wild" parks and gardens, created in the form of a natural landscape with not too tall grass.
Hellebores are also indispensable for creating shady rock gardens and rocky gardens.
Growing, they form extensive curtains in group plantings, in borders and mixborders, along alleys and decorate the garden from April to late autumn, or even all winter.