Helleborus ×hybridus
Lenten rose
ranunculaceae
Rose- or cream-speckled flowers; deep
green palmate leaves
15–18 in. high; 15 in. wide
Part shade–full shade
Blooms March–April
Zones 4–9
pruning Plants are evergreen, but
the foliage can get battered by late
winter. Prune off dead leaves at this
time to make room for new growth
and flowering. Some gardeners mow
the old foliage off large plantings of
Lenten rose for complete renewal. The
flower sepals are attractive for a long
time, even after their color has faded.
Helleborus can reseed heavily, literally
by the hundreds under certain
conditions. Usually the seedlings are
located at the base of the parent plant,
and they will flower in about the third
spring. This can create a nice effect in
a natural setting, but it may not be
desirable for every garden. Deadhead-
ing before seeds set can reduce the
problem. Helleborus can be prone to
disease in warm, wet, humid condi-
tions; prune off and destroy affected
parts.other maintenance Prefers
high-organic, moist, well-draining
alkaline soil; will tolerate some dry
conditions in the summer. Plants are
slow to take hold but are long-lived
and don’t need to be disturbed once
established; division is seldom, if ever,
needed. If desired, divide in the spring.
Plant in the spring to allow plants to
establish before winter.
related plantS Helleborus foetidus,
stinking hellebore, is the longest-
blooming hellebore, setting
yellow-green buds in the autumn and
opening in the spring. Foliage stays
greener than most over the winter and
sometimes takes on attractive purple
tinting. When flowering stems decline,
cut back to basal foliage for more
vigorous new growth. Tolerates short
periods of drought. Can be short-lived.
Allowing some seeding can ensure
permanence in the garden. On the
hardiness borderline in zone 5, plants
performed beautifully for 4 years and
then were lost in a single hard winter.
Helleborus niger, Christmas rose,
prefers moister conditions than H.
orientalis and is more difficult to
establish after division. Best to leave
undisturbed and avoid cultivation
around its roots. Also slower spread-
Helleborus ×hybridus ing than Lenten rose.