Re: hellebores
- Subject: Re: [SG] hellebores
- From: M* T*
- Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 19:12:43 -0500
Not Gene, Nancy, but, yes, H. argutifolius is the Corsican
one...often, incorrectly, called H. corsicus (I think that's the
spelling). It's always rated z 6 as the northernmost zone. I think
it can actually survive slightly colder, but with so much foliage
damage it ain't worth it. Think it would really depend on the
micro-climate you could give it. It wants sun and very sharp
drainage - as in it loves rocky soil.
Never have seen H. thibetaneus in the flesh...supposed to be neat,
tho.
BTW, I don't think H. foetidus is meant to be totally upright. Mine
are when young, but once those huge, heavy stems form and it flowers,
they tend to lean. I don't notice this unless they decide to lean on
something else as the overall impression is of a rounded mass. I was
about to say mine grow in deep shade and bloom, but realized that all
of them do get either early morning or late afternoon shafts of
light, which may make a difference. Still love it:-)
For those of you who are into growing hellebores from seed, a net
friend of mine, Tasmanian breeder John Dudley, has started offering
some of his lovely plants as seed. He just put up a new web site:
Elizabeth Town Hellebores
http://www.southcom.com.au/~hortus/
He sent seed to the Hellebore List exchange last year, beautifully
moist packed and ready to plant as it had received the warm treatment
they require...their year, of course, being exactly opposite of ours.
I've had quite good germination on the lot I snagged.
And, if you don't want to deal with seeds, but want specific color
strains or some of the special doubles, anemone flowered or spotteds,
another net friend of mine, UK hellebore breeder, Graham Birkin,
offers divisions which he brings over in spring and fall and they're
shipped out of Alexandria Va. If you haven't seen the pix of his
plants and have fallen in love with this genus....start drooling:
Graham's Hellebores
http://www.hellebores.hort.net/
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
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> From: Nancy Stedman <stedman@RCN.COM>
>
> Gene: Is H. argutifolius the Corsican one? I saw it growing wild by
the
> roadsides in Corsica, at the edge of the maquis, in strong sun, and
figured
> it would never survive for me. Lovely plant.
> Has anyone ever seen a H. thibetanus? From photos it seems like it
would be
> the most fair of them all.
