Hellebore is an elegant perennial winter flower, which is suitable for shady areas during late winter and spring. ( Log Out /  Certainly not enough to make up for the time my article on dwarf Jacob’s ladder was illustrated with a photo of Spanish bluebells. I have just divided it again to give to my husbands sisters as a reminder to them of grandma and great gran. I have tried before to transplant these rather large specimens into my garden with no luck. I suggested the topic because so many gardeners think hybrid hellebores are difficult to grow and wouldn’t think of dividing them. In the case of taller varieties, the old flower stems have to be cut down to the ground in spring. It is the only hellebore that likes somewhat moist conditions. I am glad you agree because I envision all these gardeners hacking away at their plants based on what I consider erroneous advice in many gardening books. Hellebores are not difficult to grow in the cooler temperate areas of Australia. I now have over 50 different plants. Oh, my, you have me coveting some of those wonderful hybrids. But first a warning: do not simply detach pieces from the edge of your cherished clump and replant it elsewhere or give it away. Carolyn. Stinking hellebore, H. foetidus, which I prefer to call bearsfoot hellebore, cannot be divided and must be propagated by moving seedlings. Dorothy, You don’t have to deadhead hellebores after they bloom and shouldn’t if you want seedlings. But without the chance to improve the soil, regular mulching and feeding in the autumn is wise. I didn’t break it up to small chunks though, more like just cutting it in half. Carolyn. Carolyn, Great post Carolyn, though I’m not sure I want to divide any of the hellebores I have at the moment. Carolyn. The main species grown in Australia include Helleborus orientalis, but Helleborus foetidus is also popular. Carolyn. A wholesale/retail mail-order nursery focused solely on Hellebores shipped my order this spring with some plants undersized to the point of being only a “hope and a prayer,” some with root system well-matched to the pot, and some plants seriously root-bound in the pot. . Hellebores are best divided in early spring or autumn. They all have huge 24″ flower stalks. Best regards and THANK YOU for sharing your expertise. Recommended Reading: Lessons from Linden Hill: Design Tips. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The regular mulching helps keep them healthy and free-flowering. I never water or fertilize my hellebores, but I do apply ground leaves yearly. Carolyn. However I intend to answer them in a blog post updating my original post on dividing hellebore—stay tuned. Carolyn. Nursery Happenings: I am currently accepting orders for snowdrops, including  mail orders. You might have to do this with hosta or daylilies but even those should first be attempted by your suggested method. Hellebores are tough garden plants, well suited to the climate of south eastern Australia. They are among the most marvelous garden plants. Susanne, I think I am having problems with the same pant in my woodland gardens and that it is some form of very invasive pinellia, possibly P. perdisecta. It is so exciting to see you holding those plants and knowing the great feeling of seeing your plants natural way of showing you where to divide. Quality is too important to me, and the money for writing magazine articles, even features, just isn’t very good. I grow mine up in zone 6 in full sun and they are very big. Carolyn. That is my fantasy still. ( Log Out /  I’m hoping they do well this time but in case they don’t the baby hellebores are doing great. Impressive article in Horticulture. How to grow hellebores in a pot. You can divide the plant and move them to new pots or areas during late autumn. I am so busy with my nursery right now that I don’t have time to answer all these questions. The root system is past loosening roots and spreading them out into compost amended soil. Last week a friend let me dig tons of the stinking hellebore (love LOVE them) and I probably could’ve divided them but didn’t. Thank you so much for the great advice…I just looked at my hellebore ‘ivory Prince’ and said, “You my beauty need to get out of that bed and into a better one for viewing!” So this morning after two days of heavy rains~with more to arrive~They’ve been moved and look pretty darn happy! I have divided a hellebore but only once so far. I am a fan of dividing perennials – it is such a good way of creating lots more new, vigorous plants. Shake it to remove excess soil and then wash away the remaining soil to reveal the extensive root system as shown in step 3. I have just ordered more and have a mix of types…including argutifolius, foetidus ‘just because’ I wanted to;-) I love them…picking out a favorite is way to hard for me! Hi Carolyn, What I am really enjoying with this blogging is the renewed interest in plants that for whatever reason I have stopped growing. I always divide my hellebores as they are coming into bloom because each flower represents a potential division. Carolyn, i was just gifted with a huge box of corsican hellebores which had been dug and divided. Thanks for a terrific post, filled with lovely photos and excellent advice. Excellent article and gorgeous hybrid hellebores, Carolyn … the huge undivided drifts must be a stunning sight to behold. I can not say I have ever divided hellebores, so nothing to add. Glad to hear about the Christmas rose. You can divided ‘Ivory Prince’ if you want. It is not a hybrid hellebore, but rather a species cross featuring Christmas rose as a parent and making it dividable. Please let me know in a comment/reply about your experiences with dividing hybrid hellebores. Thanks so much! Also, when do you divide them? So they are not just shade plants. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Propagating Hellebores . Great how-to advice!! Regards Liz, Liz, Thanks for sharing your story of hellebores as a pass along plant in Australia no less. Dividing hellebore plants is not necessary, but it can enhance flowering in older plants. I didn’t like writing for magazines because they edit, add photos, and caption photos without any input from the author. Deb, You can’t go wrong with a hybrid hellebore. With sandy soil it's important to add mulch and compost. Your hellebores will be big soon enough. Hellebores thrive in neutral to alkaline soils that are moist but well-drained, fertile and humus-rich. With their winter flowering and fascinating range of flower and foliage forms, Hellebores are deservedly popular. I do it all the time successfully. If the hellebore stems develop a “cooked” looking cut end after a week or so, simply pull them from the water and cut that portion of the stem off. I love hearing about experiments like this on your blog. ( Log Out /  ; To assist with soil moisture retention, mix in some Yates Waterwise Water Storage Crystals into the potting mix. By removing the most vigorous … Now that I’ve ordered more I doubt I’ll need to. I am doing an article on this soon. Hellebores: A Comprehensive … And I did it by digging directly into it, while in the ground, cutting it in half. is VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Carolyn. Hellebores are tough garden plants, well suited to the climate of south eastern Australia. They will flower in almost full-sun, but prefer semi-shaded positions, particularly in summer. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. It’s important to be careful while pruning, however, as the sap of the plant can irritate the skin. Lisa, Maybe the plants that were divided to produce your gift were so big that they had separated into separate stalks and thus separate plants so they may take. I love Hellebores and have been adding new ones every year for the past several years…about 3, I think. Finally, we’re often encouraged to divide our hardy perennials every three years and to replant the healthiest pieces in improved soil. MNGarden, Now that’s a recommendation if I ever heard one. Climatically Hellebores will grow best if they experience some cold in winter. It grows very well between rocks where the moisture drains down to it. Since what we grow are hellebore plants, that's often what I plant. However hellebores, like hostas, are best left to … Hellebores are so easy-care that it takes a concerted effort to kill them. Thanks, Carolyn, Hi Carolyn, I’ve just discovered your blog and know it will be fun to return often. Most Hellebores do not like to have wet feet. Carolyn, Had never considered dividing mine…will look at those that are old enough to do this and spread the wealth…, Donna, Send me a comment if you have any further questions when it is time to divided your hellebores. What are they and what can be done to eliminate them chemical free? H. orientalis is a shorter growing variety, with a beautiful flower. Carolyn. While dividing and transplanting hellebores is usually done in early fall or late winter, sometimes circumstances require us to do so at an inopportune time. In South Australia the more temperate climates between Mount Gambier and Adelaide are fine for Hellebores. Visit our store in Monbulk, Victoria Open: 8:0am – 3:30pm Monday to Friday (excl. Thank you. Hellebores form dusky bronze to creamy white blooms. Lula, Lula, Glad you liked the recipe. Hellebore is the common spelling for Helleborus spp., a genus of flowering perennials that grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, depending on species.Ideally, transplant hellebores during their dormant period in fall.The popular variety lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, adapts most readily to transplanting. For the catalogue and order information, click here. Ted also grows H.argutifolius which are a taller growing variety, best suited for the back of a border, with its head of lime green flowers. The hybrids in my zone 5 garden came to me as seedlings from my mother’s zone 9 garden in central California, where they thrive. Growing these plants in total shade, means less leaf growth. I am taking reservations for my March 18 & 19 Hellebore Seminars. Carolyn, I apologize for my tardy comment on this outstanding post. 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