Hooked on Hellebores
Hellebores, also called Lenten or Christmas rose, is one of the best spring flowering perennials for the mid south. Not actually in the rose family at all, but in the Ranunculus order, this perennial is a gift from nature that shows its glory in the dead of winter. They are a native of Southern Europe and grow well throughout the south. We like to call it the "plant it and forget it" plant because it is an evergreen plant that is virtually pest free, drought tolerant, and deer resistant. You absolutely need this plant in your garden.
I say deer resistant rather than deer proof because no plant is truely deer proof. If deer are hungry and thirsty enough, they will eat most anything. I must add however, that we have deer cruising our yard every day and even during the worst drought they did not touch our hellebores. Since they are actually poisonous to animals they tend to stay away from them.. Blooming anywhere from December through February, depending on the variety, this perennial can cheer up the most dreary winter day.
It's black roots where harvested in December right before the plant would flower. Then, it was made into a tincture and taken in small doses. Please don't try this at home! Taken in the wrong way, this root is highly poisonous. One ounce has caused death in eight hours. Legend says that Hippocrates used it as a purgative, and that Alexander the Great died of an overdose of this drug. It is also said that it is used in witchcraft in order to summon demons. Personally, I wouldn't try this either. We just like to use it in our garden. We love its pure white flowers (which turn to pink later in the season) and the fact that it is an evergreen and.. did I say deer resistant and drought tolerant? It grows into a wonderful clump about three feet wide and one foot tall and it makes a great ground cover. For use in home decorating, it's best to just use the flowers (sepals) in a bowl of water. The stems tend to drop when put in a vase. Excellent for early color in shady herbaceous borders and areas between deciduous shrubs and under trees. None of the hellebores mind competition from tree roots. They are happiest in limy soils with a pH of 7. It's a good idea to do a
soil test
to determine how much lime you may need to add. Remember this is the ideal, in reality we have never tested the soil that our hellebores are in and they do just fine. Being avid gardeners, we do have good amended soil to begin with though. Organic matter is a crucial part of good soil prep and leaf-mold is an excellent choice. If that is not available then rotted garden compost is also good. Basically, just use whatever organic material you have on hand. Sign up for our newsletter and get a free special report on soil amendments.
Cutting back some of the dead leaves during the autumn and early winter when the garden is put to bed is all that is needed. For more information about growing and to see the many new hybrids that are available, visit
www.hellebores.org
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The Black Hellebore, also know as the Chritmas rose (H. niger), was once known as a cure for insanity. It isn't actually black at all.
