Hellebores - Pests and Diseases

Hellebores have very few pests and disease. They are easy plants to grow but do on occasion get special aphids called Macrosiphon hellebori.

Although we have thousands of hellebores in our own yard and have never had an outbreak of aphids, some people do so I did some research using the book Hellebores (Gardener's Guide to Growing Series) the aphids seem to congregate almost exclusively on the undersides of the leaves and on the inside of the flowers as they age.

The first sign that your plant is under attack is the sight of discarded white skins on the lower leaves and on the ground. Or, you might feel a sticky coating on the flowers and leaves.

If your plant gets infested with these pesky pests, it can lead to distorted leaves and possibly to the spread of virus infection if left unattended so it's best to address the problem as quickly as possible.

For small infestations, simply squash the insects with your fingers, but for larger infestations the best remedy is to spray with a soap-based product or use a chemical spray containing pirimicarb, which harms the fewest beneficial insects.

Apply the mixture to the underside of the foliage. The book recommends that if this is not practical, a systemic product such as one containing dimethoate should be used instead.