Hellebores

 

 

Before I ever grew a Hellebore I imagined that they could not be grown here in the southeast, and certainly I had never seen any for sale. I had only admired them in plant freak magazines. One day a few years ago while cruising through the plants at Home Depot, I saw one and snatched it right up. Over the years (maybe 5/6) mine has grown and become quite a nice plant. Another smaller plant has come up beside it, from seed I guess. And I did find another one a few years ago. I can't understand why they are not grown more.
Hellebores are deer resistant. I have never had a deer bother mine at all. Occasionally a slug or snail will munch on a leaf, but that has never been a real problem either. They are drought tolerant after they become established. They bloom when little else is blooming. (Mine started in January.) The flowers last for months and come in all shades of pink, purple, and white. And they are evergreen. the only place they fall just a bit short is the flowers do not smell very good.
Like a peony, hellebores are incredibly long lived. The planting hole should be prepared like you expect it to be there for a while, because it will. They can be divided but I doubt I could ever get up nerve to split a beautiful plant.Propagation is best by seed, although it can take from 6-18 months.
I purchased some seed this spring and intend to try my own propagation.

Hellebores

 

 

The pink hellebore in the top picture is blooming now in my yard in east central Alabama. It is probably 6 or 8 years old. It bloomed the second winter after I planted it, and has increased in size and blooms every year. I give it almost no care, except I did water it the first year in the ground. But not after that. It is growing in the dry shade of an oak tree , and I suppose benefits from the leaf drop. When the summer gets underway, it gradually retreats into a tattered tired looking form, but it will be back next winter with it's lovely blooms. It is often called a Lenten or a Christmas roses but is in no way related to roses. The name refers to the bloom time. From my reading I think if I gave mine more care (i.e. water and fertilizer) it would grow faster and bigger. I have another plant but it has never bloomed and only has three leaves. Maybe I could goose it along with more water and fertilizer. In the event that you wish to purchase one, go for the bigger plant for the few dollars more as this will cut years off the growing time.
The second picture of the white hellebore was taken at Calloway Gardens last week. There are some on the Rhododendron trail near the Butterfly house.
These are long lived plants and are rarely bothered by deer or rabbits, maybe because they are reported to be poison.
Other than the name Hellebores, these are great plants. Get thee to the garden center and get thyself one. Then report back to me so I can get another one. I think my original one came from Home Depot.