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jmergens

Droopy Helleborus

jmergens
15 years ago

Finally after weeks of waiting for better weather (in Vancouver) I brought my newly purchased plants outside and left them next to the house for a week. Then I planted them in super spacious pots. Most of them are doing well. However, I have 3 that are looking rather droopy. One of them had a flower broken off 2 weeks prior and is looking pathetic. I have it in the shade and mist it in the evening. NO CHANGE. The second is also a hybrid as the first (a dark purple) and its leaves seem healthy but the flower stems are super droopy. The third lot came in a huge bunch. They are a hybrid as well but a white with purple speckles. When I purchased them they came with a lot of growth with a few flowers. NOW the whole lot of this pot is droopy. There are a few new growths in the middle that seem to be growing well.

Should I cut off the flowers from the dark purple? If so, from the bottom of the stalk?

Should I cut off any of the flowers from the giant droopy lot?

I'm torn between putting them in the shade or sun. I've been told, they look droopy most likely because they are getting too much sun.

Help Please! I'm new to this and I so badly want them to weather this season.

Comments (3)

  • razorback33
    15 years ago

    It is normal for Helleborus to droop after replanting, especially if the roots were disturbed (they hate that)!
    Don't overwater them, they also dislike soggy soil, so much so, that they may reward you, by dying. Add water only when the top 2-3 inches (5-7.6 cm) of the soil becomes dry.
    Also insure that the planting area is well drained.

    If you can, place them where they receive a few hours of morning sun or in dappled shade throughout the day. Placement under trees with a tall canopy will also work, where they receive bright indirect light.

    To trim or not? I personally would leave them alone.
    They will usually recover on their own, but may require several days or even a few weeks. As long as new growth is appearing, have no worries. After the new foliage appears, the old foliage can be removed to enhance their appearance. Any green foliage, whether droopy or not, is helping the plant by producing energy through photosynthesis.
    Good luck!
    Rb

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    15 years ago

    In the PNW, it's very difficult to place hellebores anywhere where they get too much sun :-) I have many different ones growing in virtually full sun locations and all do fine. Because of our location, sun here - even full summer sun - is very weak compared to most other parts of the country. And hellebores are really very sun tolerant.....much more so than many suspect.

    Otherwise, I agree with Rb :-) FWIW, Helleborus x hybridus are not ideally suited for long term container culture. While you can grow them in containers, they seem to struggle and will be much happier if planted in the ground. For one, I think most commercial container potting soils are not well-suited to their growth. I would pick one that was formulated for woody plants and with a coarser texture. Or make up my own.

    Also, I wonder if having them indoors may have affected their growth somewhat - excess warmth at this time of year can cause elongated, floppy growth. These are perfectly hardy here and do not need to be kept indoors even in the dead of winter.

  • jmergens
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thank you so much for the tips! I've moved them to a shadier area that still receives light and only mist the leaves in the evening. I haven't watered them as the soil isn't dry.

    If the smallest and droppiest of the 3 droops away, is there still a chance for the roots to survive and start to produce growth again? The leaves are droopy and starting to strivel. Cheers

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