Re: Hellebores and oaks?

Nan,

I grow several Hellebore species in gardens with
mature live oak trees here in the SF Bay Area, and
they do very well if given drip irrigation.  The
hybrids don't seem to do well here without at least
some summer irrigation, although they can certainly
handle less water, they don't grow and bloom well for
me without some help.  My favorite one is H.
argutifolius, as it is a fast grower, deer resistant,
gets quite large and can be used as a herbaceous
shrub, with good year round presence in the garden.  I
have found that it doesn't bloom  or grow well in too
deep of shade or intense root competition as below
coast redwood trees, but does fine with dappled shade.


The H. orientalis cultivars are all quite nice, but
certainly require more patience in using them, as they
are so slow to get large, and seem much more prone to
slug and snail damage in my own garden.  They also
seem to disappear in the competition with the faster
growing perennials and bromeliads that surround them
in my own garden.

David Feix, Berkeley, Ca.

--- ingreab@comcast.net wrote:

> I have a swathe of Hellebores  growing under a huge
> Garry oak tree in 
> my front yard.  They grow with abandon here - pale
> green with a small 
> red rim.  They self=seed abundantly.  Very
> beautiful.  The blooms 
> start at the end of the year, and are now dried and
> need to be cut 
> down..  The leaves stay green all year.  They are
> not watered or 
> particularly cared for.  They seem to know how to
> survive on their 
> own.  The soil is humousy, a little acid, and
> otherwise petty 
> average.  I never water tht area, and they dont seem
> to need it.  I 
> suspect they shade and protect the surface layer of
> oak roots from trampling
> 
> 
> 
> At 10:22 PM 7/25/2006, N Sterman wrote:
> >Love those responses about hellebores!
> >
> >What do you all think of growing hellebores beneath
> native oaks?
> >Mine grow beneath a Torrey pine, a flowering
> mulberry (inherited with
> >the property) and pomegranates.
> >
> >I would think they'd do well beneath oaks -- has
> anyone tried?
> >
> >Nan
> >
> >
> >Nan Sterman                                   Plant
> Soup, Inc. TM
> >TalkingPoints@PlantSoup.Com
> >PO Box 231034
> >Encinitas, CA 92023
> >
> >
> >
> 
>
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