A website was mentioned on the tag: www.helleborus.de I wish I had looked at the tags on the plants more carefully (I was too busy looking at roots)There may well be different plants from that collection and I didn't realize it. The website has some ideas for using them in containers, which Mahoney's did out side the greenhouse.

A new shipment came into today, with beautiful specimens of "Pink Frost" and an unnamed deep pinky purple with freckles. I think they are still pot bound, but not soaking. Unfortunately, they are 14, not 11 dollars.Still, they would cost 20 dollars on on line, not including shipping.

Hey, Marie and other hellebore fans - I've noticed a really strong variation in how well hellebores perform in my garden, and just thought I'd pass it along and see what others think.

Some plants that look fantastic in the greenhouse really suffer in the garden - the late winter and early spring weather wreaks havoc with some flowers and some plants are far more susceptible to fungus infections that make the leaves turn black and limp. I suspect, but don't know for sure, that the plants with finely cut/divided flower petals will be especially poor at withstanding the weather. They may do better in more open sites, although that exposure to more wind might damage the flowers more. Has anyone who has those (if anyone here does) noticed whether that's true?

Also, I have a couple different types of Helleborus argutifolius, aka the Corsican hellebore, and some crosses between H.a. and other close relatives. Some of these have flowers on the same stems as the leaves, which turns out to be a major disadvantage; you can't clean up the foliage in late winter without removing the flower buds. On the plus side, these have lovely, lightly marbled foliage, which is nice enough that some people grow them just for the leaves.
These crosses are highly variable plants, so you really have to look at the individual when you're shopping; although a plant may look great in the nursery, know that if the leaves appear on the same stems as the flowers, it may not look so good in the garden next spring.

Some plants that look fantastic in the greenhouse really suffer in the garden
I couldn't agree with you more last year in April I bought three or four Gold Series Hellebore 'HGC Jacob' from Mahoneys (not on sale) and only one has returned.

I am relatively new to Hellebores but my experience with Helleborus 'Royal Heritage Strain' has been that they are not only happy but prolific as well, Hellebore 'Ivory Prince' has been happy but I have yet to see any babies on the horizon, Helleborus 'Sun Marble' Â A stunning Hellebore from Barry Glick has been very happy but not very prolific, Helleborus argutifolius 'Silver Lace' (Silver Lace Corsican Hellebore)has not been as strong as I had hoped, Helleborus foetidus 'Piccadilly' has been strong and very prolific from an early age, I do have some young doubles that I am not too sure about but I guess time will tell.

Well, I should know better. I was totally sucked into the gorgeous flowers. I'm saving the receipt. I cut away the mess of roots, potted them on. I'll wait a few weeks to see how they do.
Katy, do you have any idea why yours died? What does the one remaining one look like?
Yep, these plants had too much gloss, not enough good growing.
I'll report back.

mt

Katy, rereading your post more carefully. When you say happy do you mean lots of flowers? And by prolific do you mean seedlings?

I don't have much luck with plants reseeding in my garden. I'd be happy with a plant that has a lot of flowers.

I am still annoyed with myself.

Marie

The heaviest reseeders for me are the "plain" H x hybridus (aka oriental), with H. foetidus being a close second. The seedlings are easy to spot, about a half inch tall now and with deep green, glossy, plain oval seed leaves. The typical 3-part leaves come very soon, if you recognize the seedlings and don't damage them.

I noticed a tag today while working in the compost area, and I also have Gold Series Hellebore 'HGC Jacob' from Mahoneys, purchased last year. No sign of seedlings yet, but that might happen next spring or even later this season. All 3 came back, and they're blooming nicely, in good soil in full sun; I seem to remember that they were a bit pot bound when I planted them. Another big Corsican type is struggling in a morning sun location, but I don't think I amended the soil very well when I planted it a few years back.

Many of mine are cheap, unnamed ones I bought from the catalogs I usually don't use - like Spring Hill. There are quite a few of those that turned out to be really nice (I bought dozens) but the down side is that you don't really know what you're getting, so the areas where those are planted are mixed colors. I'd prefer to have all the reds together, and the whites in another spot, but they apparently don't like to be moved, so I guess I'll leave them be.

I did some research as I was second guessing myself. A number people say (on GW) that they have moved hellebores with no bad effect.
Why not give a try with just a few of your dozens?

mt

Marie to answer your question a picture is worth a thousand words.
Helleborus 'Royal Heritage Strain'

Hellebore 'Ivory Prince' has been happy but I have yet to see any babies on the horizon

I bought three or four Gold Series Hellebore 'HGC Jacob' from Mahoneys (not on sale) and only one has returned

Helleborus argutifolius 'Silver Lace' (Silver Lace Corsican Hellebore)has not been as strong as I had hoped

Helleborus foetidus 'Piccadilly' has been strong and very prolific from an early age

Note what babies look like year one

Note baby Helleborus foetidus 'Piccadilly' year two

Helleborus 'Sun Marble'

Beautiful hellebores, kt! My H. a. 'Silver Lace' was planted two years ago, looked awful last year, and may not have returned.

Claire

Thanks Claire. What I forgot to ask is should I be fertilizing these guys once the soil warms up or do you think that is not necessary?

So Marie do you need more clarification?

kt, i've heard ivory prince is a sterile hybrid. i've never seen seed on mine, either. and your piccadillys are gaaawjus!

Katy,
The evidence is clear! I was very busy this weekend, with all the children home and an out of town friend visiting this weekend. I got six pots planted with pansies, hellebores and the recycled curly willow from the winter's pots. Very festive for guests, who just bolted inside to warm up and eat.
I've so enjoyed being out in the garden. Today three of us dug up six viburnum suckers, all with great roots and planted them on the hillside. The hillside had been fairly weedfree for two years. As we removed more norway and silver maples, the buckthorn, wild mustard and wild celendine have moved in. More work!

But the bees lived through the winter for the first time since I started raising them three years ago. That is an accomplishment (for the bees.)

Hope my hellebores reproduce as readily as other people have been reporting.

Marie

Mahoney's had a great deal on hellebores last fall that i posted on GW; i bought a number of big pots and they are all huge and happy now. don't know why you cut off long roots;I would have thought to just tease them apart and plant as is.i don't remember if it's fall division that's recommended? I personally think that the orientalis are tough as nails, like hosta. Mine have not minded division and moving. I cut back the foliage in march and epsom salts are good for applying (liquid) after this pruning.

Because their foliage and flower is so dense and early, I recommend using them, interplanted with star of bethlehem
( another early dense mound of foliage) to skirt/hide ugly pedestal supports before other perennials have had a chance to do the job.

mindy

Mindy, The roots were so dense they were like a package of hard Ramen noodles. There was no soil left except a pocket deep in the middle. I've been looking at and dividing pot bound plants for 35 years, and these would not have been able to absorb water the way they were. It is hard to imagine they would have been able to send out feeder roots. I teased where I could, but it took a knife to get a start. These were clearly forced to grow quickly for Easter Sale. I did not want to divide them because I was having a celebration and I wanted them for big planters. They have all survived so far, thanks in large part to the cool weather.
I may have handled them differently if I need them for planters in 48 hours, but no harm, no foul.