Re: Any hellebore experts out there?
- Subject: Re: Any hellebore experts out there?
- From: J* S*
- Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 10:29:51 -0700
Janet Blenkinship wrote:
> Nan wrote
>
> Or even a hellebore lover
>
> Nan Hi
>
> We grow Helleborous orientalis very successfully here in Crete. Long hot dry
> summers (with irrigation) and cool wet winters. Although at this time of the
> year the old leaves are looking 'manky' However, I cut their old leaves,
> feed and water them and they increase and flower reliably year upon year.
> There are so many lovely forms of H,o that is is difficult to stop buying
> and planting, we have a ever increasing patch.
Hi Nan,
I agree with Janet, in Crete. H. hybridus cultivars do very well here in
Southern California's (warmer, dryer) mediterranean climate, and live at least
several years. In this garden, mine are 5 years old , they are
multiplying and
thriving. Two are in pots, and now that they've filled the pots to overcrowded;
they'll wilt when out of moisture, but come right back with a good irrigation.
Not drought tolerant, but they don't die.
In my San Clemente garden, they grew well in a lightly shaded bed, well
amended, well irrigated, for at least 7 years - then I moved away, so don't
know, now.
In Pasadena gardens I'm familiar with, they've colonized beds, reseeding
themselves with interesting new versions. Many of my class members grow and
love them for their beautiful winter flowers. Here, they seem to come on right
after Christmas, rather than early spring as their common name indicates.
As Janet said, light to medium shade, moderate drainage, and regular water.
The salt damage (Joe mentioned) to the leaves seems to show up for me
only on
those leaves produced right after flowering. Not, as you would expect, on
those produced during the summer. I cut off those leaves when I can't
stand the
brown edges any longer.
I agree with Joe about the shorter life span for H. foetidus. Three
years has
been the longest for me. BUT (big but) the foliage of this hellebore is so
beautiful, with its long dark fingers, then the pale chartreuse early spring
flowers in clusters. . . well! In a shady combination with a
chartreuse-leafed pelargonium, P. X hortorum, it's worth it.
I'm growing H. argutifolius for the first time since I saw a 4 ft. one
in the
garden of Cathy Ratner in Palos Verdes. Calif. Huge clusters of chartreuse
blooms, dried on the plant and still were striking against the large toothed
"bluey" leaves, in early summer. I've been told it will take
quite deep shade as well as full sun (as in natural habitat) so we'll see.
Haven't tried H. lividus or their hybrid X sternii, but would if I had
room/time. All of these plants have a brooding beauty, faintly sinister,
probably emanating from their "interesting" human history. But they also bring
a new texture and leaf form to your shady border, and are well worth
trying in
your mediterranean garden.
Jan
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Jan Smithen,
Upland, California
jansmithen@earthlink.net
Sunset zone : 19
USDA zone : 10
http://home.earthlink.net/~jansmithen/
Visit the Los Angeles County Arboretum
Victorian Rose Garden website at:
http://victorian-rose.org/
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