Re: Helleborus question

It generally takes 3 years from seed to first bloom for hybrid
hellebores.  Some breeders have managed to hurry that process, but I
have not:-)  First bloom is seldom indicative of what the flowers
will be like on a mature plant and first bloom may be only 1 or 2
flowers.  The hybrid hellebores generally live a long time and take
some time to mature enough to hit their stride.  I would expect about
5 years from seed for a plant that has any real presence in the
garden - I mean bulk and bloom.

While they don't like to be transplanted, it won't kill them and they
will recover with a moderate amount of TLC.  Breeder Graham Birkin
divides his every 3 years to sell divisions and the divisions, as
well as the mother plant, grow on.  His divisions have to be bare
rooted, too, to import them here.  So they will take a lot more abuse
than you'd think and still survive and eventually thrive again.  Best
time to dig hellebores is early fall as that's when they are making
new roots.  In spring, they flower from buds initiated the previous
year and put out new growth and in early fall they make new roots.

If you do dig the older plants, take as large a rootball as you can
and don't let the roots dry out - put the root ball in a plastic bag
or something to keep all moist until you can replant (just the root
ball; not the foliage).  If you're thinking about a new place
bordering a wetland, make sure where you put your hellebores drains
well.  They can put up with a lot of things, but not wet feet.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
-----------------------------------------------
Current Article: Wild, Wonderful Aroids Part 5 - Pinellia
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
------------------------------------------------
Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
------------------------------------------------
All Suite101.com garden topics :
http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635

----------
> From: elle <plantcrone@yahoo.com>
> 
> As I have mentioned, I've potted up my first 'baby'
> helleborus starts into gallon pots-can't move them to
> a permanent location because the threat of a move
> hangs over my head (sometimes heavier than others) but
> I wonder-
> *how long does it take a tiny helleborus (these have 3
> leaves each of about 1/2") to become a plant that has
> blooms?  If we do move, I'm feeling a bit iffy about
> the ability of my full grown helleborus-the ones that 
> were purchased 5-6 years ago as full sized gallon
> plants- to stand a transplanting.
> Marge mentioned that they have huge root systems and I
> have read they don't like to be moved once
> established.
> I really really like these plants-they grow amongst
> bleeding heart, trillium, daffs etc and present me
> with the first color every year.  
> Should I plan on purchasing more older helleborus if
> we do move?
> Our options are begining to lean towards a new house
> built on the subdivision that our property will be
> part of-for future sale as we get older, ease of
> upkeep and for location...frankly this spot is really
> hard to beat for commute that DH makes and should he
> change work locations, we are a bike ride away from
> the light rail line into Portland.
> This would put us on a scraped bare lot that is
> wetlands border now, a fairly large house on a small
> piece of property.
> With that in mind, I'm dreaming about gardens with my
> favorite picks of plants...now I have the space and
> light to grow anything my heart and pocketbook allow
> but I know a garden in a subdivision will need to be
> more structured-although I have few plans for grass
> (what a waste of space) still there is need to curtail
> my present habit of trying any plant that hits my
> fancy.
> Appreciate comments
> Elle in Oregon-Z 8 Willamette Valley/Sunset Z 6a

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index