Many owners country houses pay special attention to plants in the garden. As soon as the first spring rays warm the snowdrifts, delicate hellebore flowers begin to stretch through the snow. This plant is characterized by early flowering. Hellebore opens its buds during the flowering period of erantis, hazel grouse and crocuses.
The mysticism and danger of hellebore
This amazing perennial plant has been known to man since biblical times. There were legends and tales about him, and magical properties were attributed to him. One legend says that these flowers were found by the Magi near the stable in which Jesus Christ was born. They used to believe that this flower could summon demons. Another legend said that the cause was hellebore poison. And Hippocrates used it as a cleanser. This early flower also used to treat paralysis and insanity.
Modern scientists claim that this flower is not at all harmless. It contains toxic substances such as yervin, veratrin, cyclopamine and teratogen. Once in the human body, they cause dizziness, suffocation, swelling, thirst and vomiting. Therefore, having decided to plant on your personal plot This attractive plant, you should constantly monitor pets and small children. At the first symptoms of poisoning by this plant, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Plant varieties
In the wild, this flower grows in Europe (southern and middle parts), Asia Minor, the Balkans, the Carpathians, southern Ukraine and the Caucasus. The height of hellebore reaches 30-50 cm. It has a well-developed root system. Hellebore flowers and leaves are located close to the ground and form a beautiful rosette. The dense leaves of this plant have a dark green tint. There are beautiful inflorescences on a tall stem. Most hellebore varieties have pale green flowers. Each one is painted inside bright colors- brown, red, pink, black. Common types of hellebore (wintering plant) include:
- Black.
- Caucasian.
- Oriental.
- Hybrid.
- Blushing.
- Smelly.
Black hellebore
The birthplace of this flower is South and Central Europe. Black hellebore got its name because of the color of the rhizome. IN wildlife This plant is most often found in mountain forests. The description of the black hellebore will not leave you indifferent. Believe me, after reading this article you will immediately plant this perennial mysterious plant in your garden.
The height of black hellebore reaches 30 cm. The leaves have a dark green tint. In Russia, this variety of hellebore blooms in late March - early April. The inflorescences of the black winterweed are large, white, speckled. As they age, they acquire a soft pink tint. There is a variety with initially pink flowers, which is called the “Christmas star”. It was this flower that, according to legend, was given to the baby Jesus.
After flowering, the plant's leaves fall off, and new ones immediately grow in its place. Black hellebore blooms all year round. It is unpretentious in care, resistant to various pests. In winter, the flower can withstand temperatures down to -35 o C.
This plant is actively used in folk medicine. For example, an aqueous extract of black hellebore is known. But experts do not recommend taking all infusions internally. After all, everyone knows that the plant contains poison, which means it can cause serious consequences, even death.
Caucasian hellebore
This is the most inconspicuous of all hellebore varieties. But it is also the most poisonous. The plant grows in beech, oak and pine forests Krasnodar region and Georgia. The height of the Caucasian wintering plant reaches 40 cm. The leaves of the plant are large, leathery, dark green in color, and shiny. Due to the rigidity of the texture and internal staff the leaf is hard to damage. The root is small, the inflorescences are green with a brown or white tint. This variety blooms in late winter - early spring. The first buds appear from under the snow.
It is acceptable to use black and Caucasian hellebore in medical purposes. The root is used, which is previously dug up, cleaned and dried. Decoctions and infusions are prepared from it. They are used for external treatment of dermatological problems and joints.
Eastern hellebore
The most widespread plant variety. The homeland of the eastern hellebore is Greece, the Caucasus, and Türkiye. This plant tolerates dry summer conditions and harsh winters well. It tolerates temperature drops in winter down to -29 o C. Gardeners can use it for decoration in regions where there is no permafrost.
Eastern hellebore reaches 30 cm in height. It is characterized by later flowering. The first flowers appear in early April. The original plant is cream-colored with specific strokes on the petals. There are varieties of pink, white and purple colors. Often there are varieties with specks inside the flower. The most beautiful representatives of this variety are the hybrid Ballard, Eastern Montsegur and Ellen purple.
Hellebore stinking
The name of the plant speaks for itself. Bright green unusual flowers have an indescribable beauty. At the same time strong, unpleasant aroma will not be to the taste of many.
Where to plant the plant
Black hellebore is considered the most popular, attractive and unpretentious. Planting and caring for it is quite simple. This is a perennial plant that grows in one place without replanting for many years. But you should carefully choose a place to plant hellebore, listening to the recommendations of experts and the requirements of agricultural technology.
Black hellebore grows best in soils rich in humus. It is advisable that it be located under the crowns of trees, where there is a lot of rotted foliage. You should choose the right place for the future plant. Hellebore should be located in the shade with some sunlight. The place must be protected from strong winds. The ideal neighbors of the flower are trees, the crowns of which will transmit the necessary sunlight. The plant is quite unpretentious and can easily adapt to almost any conditions. But correct fit and the care of the black hellebore is the key to its long and active flowering in your garden.
The plant is planted in the garden in early autumn. The hellebore has time to take root well before the start of winter. Most often, individual bushes are used for this, which were previously separated from the old plant. In this way, the bush is rejuvenated, and the duration of its growth increases. A bush can grow in one place long time. Over time it grows. Self-seeding drowns out the plant, so the bush should be thinned out periodically. The separated parts are used for reproduction. It is they who will lay the foundation for the future new, strong and beautiful bush.
Soil and watering requirements
The soil for planting hellebores should retain moisture. This plant does not tolerate dry soil. Therefore, attention should be paid Special attention not only the composition, but also the condition of the soil. It should not be heavy or cakey. The soil should not contain clay particles.
The plant grows well in turf soil. As mentioned above, it is better to place the flower under a tree. Hellebore looks impressive under evergreen bushes and trees.
The best development of this plant occurs on alkaline or neutral soils.
In regions with heavy snowfall, hellebore is practically not watered. Melt water provide sufficient soil moisture. In arid regions, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil. The plant should be watered generously several times a season. But the lack of water will not harm the hellebore. Due to the rigid structure of the leaves, moisture evaporation from the flower occurs moderately.
Landing
How to plant black hellebore correctly? First of all, you should prepare shallow square holes measuring 25x25 cm. A distance of at least 30 cm should be left between plant bushes. Compost should be placed at the bottom of the hole. Now the seedling should be placed in the recess and the roots of the plant should be carefully straightened. You need to gradually sprinkle the seedling on all sides and squeeze it. Afterwards, the plant must be watered with plenty of water. In the next 3 weeks, it should be watered regularly, avoiding overflow and stagnation of water.
Planting black hellebore is almost always successful. After all, this plant is unpretentious. A sad result can be obtained when low-quality, sickly seedlings are used.
Feeding and fertilizer
In fact, this plant is unpretentious and does not require special care or fertilization. But experienced gardeners know that fertilizing is the key to its long and abundant flowering. Therefore, we do not skip this point, but apply the recommendations of experienced gardeners in practice. And believe me, your hellebore will respond to these procedures with exuberant flowering and the development of chic and attractive foliage.
So, how to properly fertilize the black hellebore variety? You can also use bone meal. You should also pay attention to foliar feeding microelements. This procedure must be performed in warm weather on clear and dry days.
Methods for propagating hellebore
Oriental and black hellebore are actively used in landscape design. These plants look great in rock gardens, rockeries, and mixborders. In garden plots, these plants create a bright accent not only in spring, but all year round. In winter, this flower pleases gardeners with its unfading greenery. After all, this plant is frost-resistant.
Hellebore propagates in 2 ways: by dividing an adult bush and by seeds. The cultivation and propagation of this plant occurs exclusively in open ground. At home, the flower stops blooming.
Propagation by seeds
The seed method of growing winterweed involves the use of fresh planting material. When purchasing, you should pay attention to the date of seed collection. Be careful, because 6 months after collection they lose their viability.
Black hellebore should be sown from seeds in prepared containers with moist and loosened soil. They need to be planted to a depth of 1-2 cm. With the appearance of the first leaves, the container should be placed in a dark place. From this moment the seedlings can be picked. Before planting outside, they must be replanted several times. After 2-3 years, you can plant the stronger plants in a permanent place. It is better to transplant in early autumn, at the end of September. The first flowering of winter grass propagated by seeds will begin in the 3rd year.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
Many experts claim that hellebore grows slowly and does not tolerate transplantation well. Therefore, vegetative propagation is recommended in rare cases.
To divide the bush, you should choose an adult bush over 3 years old. Transplanting can be done after the flowering period. The flower must be planted in such a way that there is a distance of 30-40 cm between the bushes. The soil must be moist, loose, with good drainage.
Reproduction of hellebore in this way is fraught with danger not only for the plant, but also for humans. After all, a drop of juice can cause a burn or irritation on the skin. Therefore, when dividing, you should worry about your own safety. Wear gloves and avoid direct contact of the plant with open areas skin. If the plant juice gets on the body, it should be washed off as quickly as possible. running water. If irritation occurs, it is better to consult a doctor.
Pests and diseases
Hellebore is particularly resistant to many diseases and pests. Rodents, snails, slugs and aphids bring discomfort to this plant. Rarely on a flower can you notice a fine hop borer that attacks the root. In these cases, insecticides should be used. When preparing the solution, you should strictly adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations.
Hellebore leaves are also damaged by the fungus Coniothyrium hellebori, which causes dark spots to appear. The disease develops quickly in warm and damp weather. In this case, it is necessary to regularly monitor the appearance of new affected leaves and trim them in time. The flower should also be treated with a systemic fungicide.
Combination with other plants
Often in the photo, black hellebore can be seen next to various trees and flowers. And this is not surprising. After all, this flower grows well under bushes and deciduous trees. Gardeners often combine this spring flower with early-blooming crocuses, low-growing tulips, hazel grouse and daffodils, small-bulbed eranthis and scylla. The decorative foliage of hellebore looks ideal with variegated crops that develop in the summer.
Landscape design and hellebore
The active use of hellebore in landscape design occurs when designing shady alpine slides. Thanks to its early flowering, hellebore decorates landscape composition in March, when the snow has not yet melted. Decorative large bushes goes well with different types of plants.
The plant should not be planted in places where children often play.
Evgeniy Sedov
When your hands grow from the right place, life is more fun :)
Owners of private houses dream of growing plants in the garden that bloom all year round, are easy to care for, and resistant to pests. Does it look like a fairy tale? But there is such a plant, it has beautiful flowering and delights gardeners with its bright inflorescences in the cold season - this is hellebore. Otherwise, it is also called a winter hut. He is not fussy when planting and caring. Wintergreen belongs to the genus of perennial herbaceous plants of the buttercup family.
Common types of hellebore with photos
There are many legends and tales associated with the winter hut. So, according to one of them, his flowers were found by the wise men near the stable where Jesus Christ was born. According to another legend, Alexander the Great died from wintering poisoning. The flower is believed to be able to summon demons. Hippocrates used the plant as a cleanser. In ancient times, the flower was used to treat insanity and paralysis.
Modern research has revealed that hellebore contains toxic substances such as veratrine, teratogen, cyclopamine, and yervine. When they enter the human body, they cause dizziness, thirst, a feeling of suffocation, swelling, and vomiting. Be careful when growing this plant in your garden to ensure that small children or pets do not eat the plant. At the first symptoms of winterweed poisoning, consult a doctor.
The plant reaches up to 50 cm in height and has a well-developed root system. Decorative flowers and leaves of hellebore, located close to the ground, form a beautiful rosette. The tall stem of the plant is crowned with beautiful inflorescences, which all varieties have almost the same pale green color. The flowers are different inside bright colors- red, pink, brown and black. Common wintering species:
- Oriental;
- black;
- hybrid;
- Caucasian;
- blushing;
- smelly.
Hellebore black
The birthplace of this flower is Central and Southern Europe. In nature, black winterweed grows mainly in mountain forests. The flower grows up to 30 cm, has dense leaves dark green. In Russia, black hellebore begins to bloom in early April. After flowering, the plant's foliage falls off, and a new one immediately grows in its place. In winter, the flower can withstand temperatures down to -35 C°. Large inflorescences of black winterweed are white with a soft pink tint.
This flower grows in oak, beech, and pine forests of Georgia and the Krasnodar region. Caucasian winterweed grows up to 40 cm. The root is short and dark brown in color, the leathery leaves have a dark green tint. Inflorescences are green in color with a white or brown tint. Flowering period: late winter, early spring. The first flowers of Caucasian hellebore appear from under the snow.
Oriental hellebore
The homeland of this winter-hardy plant is Türkiye, Greece, and the Caucasus. The height of the eastern winterhouse reaches 30 cm. In winter, the plant can withstand temperatures down to -29 C°. The first flowers appear in mid-March - April. Inflorescences are white, cream, pink or purple. There are varieties of oriental hellebore with specks inside the flowers. The most beautiful are rightfully considered the eastern Montsegur, Hellen purple, and Ballard hybrid.
Christmas rose
The homeland of this perennial is the Caucasus Mountains and the Balkans. Experienced gardeners know what hellebore looks like under the name “Christmas rose”. The description of this flower is found in ancient treatises. The plant grows up to 30 cm, has dense leaves of rich green color. The inflorescences of the Christmas rose have a white or reddish tint. The flowering period is mid-winter, for which the winter plant received its poetic name.
Plant propagation methods
Wintering varieties are widely used in landscape design. Flowers look great on mixborders, rock gardens, rockeries, forming a bright accent on the garden plot. In winter, hellebore delights gardeners with its unfading greenery. The plant reproduces by seeds, dividing an adult bush. Since this perennial is frost-resistant, it can be grown exclusively in open ground. At home, the winter plant stops flowering.
Propagation by seeds
To grow a winter garden, take fresh planting material. When purchasing, pay attention to the time for collecting seeds; after 6 months they lose their viability. Sow flower planting material into prepared containers with loose, moist soil to a depth of 1-2 cm. When the seedlings have their first leaves, transplant them to a dark place. Move the strengthened plant to a permanent place after 2-3 years. Carry out the transplant in mid-September. The first flowering of a winter plant sown with seeds will begin in 3-4 years.
Dividing the bush
Since hellebore does not tolerate transplantation well and takes a long time to grow, it is recommended to use the vegetative method of plant propagation in rare cases. To divide the bush, choose an adult flower older than 3 years. Plants are transplanted after the flowering period. When planting a winter bush, maintain a distance between plants of about 40 cm. The soil should be loose, moist with good drainage.
When propagating hellebore by dividing the bush, be careful, as this plant is poisonous. A drop of juice causes irritation or burns on the skin. Therefore, when dividing a winter bush, wear gardening gloves and avoid direct contact of the plant with uncovered areas of skin. If flower juice gets on your body, rinse the area thoroughly with running water and consult a doctor.
Conditions for growing hellebore flowers
In nature, this frost-resistant perennial grows in dark places, with good soil ventilation and moderate humidity. For successful cultivation hellebore in your garden, create conditions for the plant that are as close to natural as possible. To plant winter huts, choose places protected from direct sunlight and with loose soil. Flowers grow beautifully in the shade of fruit and coniferous trees.
Hellebore feels good in nutritious, not acidic soil. If the land on your site is increased acidity, then produce it. To do this, use slaked lime, chalk or dolomite flour. Stagnation of moisture has a detrimental effect on winter flowers. Be sure to take care of the presence of drainage and regularly loosen the soil around the flowers.
How to plant hellebores in spring
At proper agricultural technology diseases and pests are not scary for the winter hut. Spring is the optimal time for planting plants both vegetatively and as seedlings. When propagated by seeds, containers with seedlings are left in the garden until next spring. The main failures of gardeners when growing hellebore are associated with the purchase of low-quality planting material and frequent replanting of the plant.
How to care for hellebore in open ground
Hellebore refers to unpretentious plants, but he doesn't like to be bothered. It grows best in open ground. Therefore, choose a place so that the plant does not have to be replanted. Keep in mind that the winter plant is capable of self-sowing. To successfully grow the plant, regularly mulch, feed it and loosen the soil around the flower. For feeding, use once every 3 months. bone meal or ash. At the end of the flowering period, mulch the winter garden. To do this, use garden compost and leaf humus.
During dry periods, water hellebores to prevent the soil from drying out. From an aesthetic point of view, these plants, planted in groups, look good. Taking into account all the variety of flowers, landscape designers create entire compositions into which tulips, crocuses, hyacinths and chrysanthemums fit harmoniously. The flower looks good in combination with primrose, peony and Volzhanka.
At low subzero temperatures of -35 C or more, hellebore leaves are damaged. If you notice that this has happened, remove the frostbitten leaves. Don’t worry, damage to the foliage of the winter garden does not affect the further development of the plant and its flowering. The rhizome remains healthy and vigorous, and new winter flowers will delight you the same year.
If spots appear on hellebore leaves, spray with special preparations. Use fungicidal agents "Oxychom" or "Topaz". If the soil is too acidic, black spots appear on the winter leaves. To treat a flower, add lime to the soil and remove damaged leaves. If a plant is affected by non-infectious diseases, this indicates either elevated level soil acidity, or excessive moisture, or improper nutrition of hellebore.
Found an error in the text? Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we will fix everything!Hellebore - planting and care, growing from seeds The hellebore plant (lat. Helleborus) belongs to the genus of herbaceous perennials of the Ranunculaceae family, of which, according to various sources, there are from 14 to 22 species, growing in shady places in the mountains in Europe, in particular in the Mediterranean, as well as in the east - in Asia Minor. Large quantity species grows on the Balkan Peninsula. In Germany, a hellebore flower in a pot is a traditional Christmas gift: the legend says that a little shepherd, upset that he had no gifts for the born Jesus, cried bitterly, and in the place where his tears fell, beautiful flowers bloomed, which the boy collected and brought as a gift to the Christ child. Since then, hellebore in Europe is called the “rose of Christ,” and in our country it is called “wintering,” because sometimes hellebore begins to bloom in January and even in November. The height of hellebore grass reaches from 20 to 50 cm. It has a short and thick rhizome and a simple, weakly branched stem. The leaves are basal, leathery, long-petiolate, palmate or stop-shaped. Cup-shaped flowers on a long stalk appear at the top of the stem from late winter to late June. What we take to be flower petals are actually sepals, and the petals have transformed into nectaries. The color range of hellebore includes several shades of white, pink, soft yellow, violet, purple, ink, and there are bicolor varieties. The shape of the flowers can be simple or double. The early flowering of hellebore makes it a long-awaited and favorite plant for all gardeners, who, after a long, colorless winter, enjoy watching hyacinths, muscari, crocuses, spring flowers, scillas and, of course, hellebores appear on the site. Except early flowering Hellebore has such advantages as high winter hardiness and drought resistance. But for those who want to grow hellebore in the garden, there is one warning: like all buttercups, it is extremely poisonous! Planting hellebores When to plant hellebores. A hellebore bush can grow in one place for about 10 years, and since it tolerates transplantation very poorly, you need to approach the choice of place to plant the plant responsibly. Hellebore grows best in moist, loose, clay-drained soil of neutral reaction in partial shade, among bushes and trees. Hellebores look more impressive when planted in small groups - a bright island against the backdrop of a snow-covered or dull gray garden. Hellebores are planted in April or September. Holes for planting hellebore are dug 30x30x30 in size at a distance of 30 cm between specimens. Half of the pit is filled with compost. Then, having lowered the rhizome into the hole, carefully hold the plant with one hand, and fill the hole with earth with the other, compact it and water it. Within three weeks after planting, hellebore needs frequent, abundant watering. How to care for hellebore. Caring for hellebore is very simple: in the spring, before flowering begins, you need to remove all old leaves to prevent fungal spotting of young leaves and flowers of hellebore. Young leaves appear on the plant only after flowering. When the flowers fade, mulch the soil around the bushes with decomposed peat or compost. In hot weather, the plant needs regular watering, weeding and loosening of the area, as well as fertilizing. bone meal And mineral fertilizer twice a season. Hellebore propagation. Hellebores are propagated both generatively and vegetatively, although the seed propagation method is most often used. Hellebore seeds are sown for seedlings immediately after ripening and harvesting - usually at the end of June - to a depth of 1.5 cm in loose, humus, moist soil. Shoots usually appear by March next year. When they grow up and have one or two pairs of leaves, the seedlings dive into a flowerbed located in partial shade and grow there for another two to three years. Hellebore will begin to bloom from seeds only after three years, when the plant takes root permanent place, where it needs to be transplanted in April or September. This type of plant, like stinking hellebore, reproduces by self-sowing. You can propagate hellebore by dividing the bush. In the spring, after it has flowered, five-year-old bushes are dug up, the hellebore rhizome is divided into several parts, the cuts are treated with crushed coal and planted in pre-prepared holes. Dividing the bush into spring time Black hellebore is propagated, but in the fall it is better to divide the oriental hellebore bushes. Pests and diseases of hellebore. Hellebore can be harmed by gastropods - slugs and snails that eat its leaves, as well as aphids, mice and caterpillars of the hop moth. Mice are gotten rid of with baits with poison placed in the places where they appear, snails and slugs are collected by hand, and insecticides are used against insects: aphids are destroyed with Antitlin or Biotlin, and caterpillars with Actellik. Diseases that are dangerous for hellebore are downy mildew, anthracnose and ring spot. The carrier of spotting is aphids, which is why it is so important to prevent their presence in the garden. Parts of plants damaged by spotting are removed and burned, and the hellebore and the area are treated with fungicides. Anthracnose is diagnosed by the appearance of black-brown spots on the leaves with a barely noticeable ring pattern. Leaves affected by the disease are removed, and the plants are treated with preparations containing copper. On a hellebore infected with false powdery mildew, new leaves stop growing, and those that have already appeared are deformed, becoming covered with dark spots on the upper side of the leaf, and on the bottom - gray coating. The affected parts of the plants are cut out, and the area and hellebore are treated with Previkur or Copper Oxychloride. In general, hellebore is a fairly resistant plant to pests and diseases, and harm can only be done to it when planting and caring for the hellebore was carried out carelessly or the growing conditions of the plant were systematically violated, for example, in an area with too high acidity of the soil. Conduct a soil acidity test: take a soil sample from the area, about the size of a teaspoon, pour it onto glass lying on a dark surface, and lightly sprinkle with table vinegar. If foaming is abundant, then the soil on the site is alkaline, if it is average, it is neutral, and if there is no foam at all, then it is time to add fluff lime to the site, wood ash or dolomite flour. Hellebore after flowering How and when to collect hellebore seeds. Hellebore seeds ripen from June to the end of summer, but the capsules unexpectedly burst and the seeds fall to the ground. To prevent this from happening, put gauze bags on several unripe bolls and wait for the seeds to ripen and pour out into the bag. After this, dry them in a dry place with good ventilation and place them in a paper bag. However, you should know that hellebore seeds quickly lose their viability, so it would be best not to store them until spring, but to sow Hellebore immediately in winter. As we have already said, hellebore is a cold-resistant perennial, but in frosty, snowless winters it can suffer from freezing, especially for young plants. To prevent this from happening, sprinkle the area where the hellebore grows with dry leaves or cover it with spruce branches. Types and varieties of hellebore Black hellebore (Helleborus niger) is one of the most beautiful and most widespread cultivated species, found naturally in mountain forests from southern Germany to Yugoslavia. This is an evergreen perennial up to 30 cm high with large, upward-growing flowers up to 8 cm in diameter, snow-white on the inside and slightly pinkish on the outside, located on peduncles 30 to 60 cm high. They bloom from the beginning of April for just under two weeks. The leaves of the black hellebore are winter-bearing, very dense, leathery, and have a beautiful dark green color. This species has been cultivated since the Middle Ages; its winter hardiness is high - up to -35ºC. The most famous varieties are: Nigerkors, Nigristern, and among the varieties: – Potter's Will – hellebore with the largest white flowers in the genus up to 12 cm in diameter; – HGC Joshua is one of the earliest hellebores, blooming in November; – Pracox is a hellebore that also blooms in November with soft pink flowers. Black hellebore / Helleborus niger Caucasian hellebore (Helleborus caucasicus) is most often found in nature not only throughout the Caucasus, but also in Greece and Turkey. It has evergreen, long-petiolate, hard, leathery leaves up to 15 cm long, divided into wide segments, which can be from 5 to 11, and drooping flowers, white with green or yellowish-green with brown tint, up to 8 cm in diameter, on peduncles 20 to 50 cm high. Caucasian hellebore blooms from the end of April for a month and a half. The species is winter-hardy, in cultivation since 1853. This is the most poisonous type of hellebore. Caucasian hellebore / Helleborus caucasicus Abkhazian hellebore (Helleborus abchasicus) is a plant with long-petioled leathery bare leaves of dark green or violet-green color, purple-red peduncles 30-40 cm high and dark red drooping flowers up to 8 cm in diameter, on which sometimes darker speckles are noticeable. This hellebore blooms from April for about a month and a half, is winter-hardy, and has various garden forms. Eastern hellebore (Helleborus orientalis), like Caucasian hellebore, is native to Caucasus Mountains, from Turkey and Greece. This is an evergreen perennial plant up to 30 cm high with purple flowers up to 5 cm in diameter. Unfortunately, the leaves of plants of this species are often affected by fungi. Of the many varieties, the most famous are: – White Swan – white-flowered hellebore; – Rock and Roll – hellebore with flowers covered with red-pink specks; – Blue Anemone – flowers of a light purple hue; – variety series Leydi Series – erect, fast-growing bushes with peduncles up to 40 cm high and flowers of six different colors. Stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) from light forests and rocky slopes Western Europe with leafy stems, reaching a height of 20-30 cm by autumn. Its leaves are wintering, with narrow shiny segments of dark green color and a peduncle reaching a height of 80 cm, on which a lush inflorescence is formed of numerous, small, green bell-shaped flowers with reddish -brown edge. This type of hellebore easily tolerates dry weather. Popular variety: – Wester Flisk – leaves with even narrower segments than the main species, inflorescence branches of a reddish hue. Corsican hellebore / Helleborus argutifolius, as the name suggests, grows naturally on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. This is an evergreen perennial plant up to 75 cm high, forming several erect stems that quickly grow in width. Yellow-green cup-shaped flowers form large complex racemes. At home, this species blooms in February, and in temperate climates not earlier than April. In our latitudes it requires shelter for the winter. The most famous variety: – Grünspecht – hellebore with red-green flowers. Reddish hellebore (Helleborus purpurascens) is from South-Eastern Europe, growing in bushes and forest edges in an area stretching from the western regions of Ukraine to Hungary and Romania. It has large, long-petioled basal leaves, palmately dissected into 5-7 parts, green, bare and shiny on the upper side, and bluish on the lower side. Drooping, dusty violet-purple flowers on the outside, up to 4 cm in diameter with unpleasant smell they have a greenish tint from the inside, and over time they become green altogether. This species blooms from April for a month. In culture since 1850. Hybrid hellebore (Helleborus x hybridus) combines varieties garden hybrids between different types of hellebore with flowers of various colors with a diameter of 5 to 8 cm. For example: – Violetta - white flowers with a fluffy center, thin pink veins and a border; – Belinda – white double flowers with a greenish-pink glow and a border along the edge of the petals; – Queen of the Night – dark purple flowers with yellow stamens. In addition to those described, such types of hellebores are known as green, fragrant, bush, multipartite, Tibetan, Stern and others.
I grow very original flower- black hellebore. I will say that it does not perform high in light neutral soil. If it is poor on the site, I recommend enriching the composition with complex fertilizers.
In this article I will talk about how to plant ornamental crops and how to properly care for them. On the picture different varieties plants.
Hellebore (flower m) belongs to the ranunculaceae family. According to various sources, it numbers from 13 to 22 species, but not many are cultivated in horticulture.
Hellebore grows in the mountains of Europe and Asia Minor. Its minimum height is 20 cm, maximum 55. herbaceous plant It is distinguished by a short thickened rhizome.
Its stems are simple, not too branched, the leaves are rich green, leathery in type. At the end of winter, the perennial forms flowers that resemble cups; they last until the beginning of summer. Hellebore varieties differ in shades, the most common are:
- white;
- pale yellow;
- light pink;
- purple;
- blue-black.
Two-color plants are especially popular. Some varieties of hellebore have double flowers, while others have simple flowers. The ornamental crop is valued for its resistance to cold and drought. Beginning plant growers should know that hellebore is a poisonous flower.
Proper fit and care features
An ornamental crop can grow in one bed for 8-10 years. I note that it does not tolerate picking well, so initially you need to choose the right soil. Hellebore thrives in light, neutral, well-drained soil. You can plant it near trees. The flower stands out effectively against the background of inconspicuous plants.
Place 700 g of compost in each. When planting a hellebore flower, be careful not to injure the roots! Fill the holes with soil mixture, compact and add water. For 20 days after planting, I advise you to water the plant abundantly.
Before the flowering period begins, it is necessary to loosen the soil. The flower should be weeded, as weeds disrupt its photosynthesis. It is necessary to remove dry and weakened leaves; after the flowers have withered, mulch the bushes with peat (instead natural material you can use compost).
If the weather is hot, you need to water the plant more often. It is important to weed and loosen the area on time. Hellebore positively perceives bone meal and mineral compounds. Fertilize it 2 times every 3 months. As you can see, planting and care are easy even for a novice gardener!
Reproduction methods
You can use seeds or cuttings. Most gardeners practice generative propagation. I recommend growing seedlings.
I recommend sowing the seeds immediately after you collect them, around the twentieth of June. Bury the seed 1.5 cm into the loose fertile substrate. It is desirable that it contains humus and is moist.
Next year in spring you will see shoots. As soon as they form two or three leaves, replant them in your flower beds. Remember that hellebore, also known as hellebore, does well in partial shade.
Grow the crop in the daughter bed for 3 years. After it takes root, plant it in the garden. The stinking hellebore reproduces its own kind on its own.
Some gardeners practice vegetative propagation. Adult plants are divided so as to obtain shoots with developed roots. I recommend using bushes that are already 4.5 years old. years. The sections are treated with crushed coal.
If you want to grow black hellebore, divide mature plant in the beginning of April. For those who prefer to grow oriental, I advise you to divide the bush in early September.
Possible pests, diseases
Hellebore can be attacked by insects:
- shellfish;
- snails;
- slugs
They attack leaves. Aphids feed on cell sap. If on garden plot there are mice, you need to lay out bait. Snails and slugs are used for beer; caught pests are collected by hand. To combat aphids, insecticides are used (the most popular is Antitlin). Actellik is used to expel caterpillars.
If you do not properly care for hellebore in the open ground, it will be overtaken by downy mildew. Other diseases dangerous to the plant are anthracnose and ring spot. To avoid spotting, you need to control aphids.
If you see plants in the garden that show signs of this disease, remove the affected parts and burn them. To prevent ring spot from overtaking other garden crops, treat the area with fungicides.
Anthracnose manifests itself dark spots on the leaves. These spots have a characteristic ring-shaped pattern. If you find crops with signs of anthracnose in the garden, you should remove their affected areas, and then treat them with preparations containing copper.
Downy mildew is manifested by deformation of the leaves, spots appear on their surface. The affected parts of the hellebore are cut off, after which they are treated with copper oxychloride.
Collection and storage of seeds
You can get seeds in late July early August. I note that the boxes unexpectedly burst. If you don't put gauze on them, the seeds will end up on the ground.
Planting material quickly loses its similarity, if possible, use it immediately, do not keep it until spring! Hellebores are weather-resistant, but if winters are cold in your area, you should cover them. I mulch the area with dry leaves, but you can also use spruce branches.
Popular types of hellebore
There are several types of hellebore, each with its own characteristics.
Black
This species is especially popular and is often cultivated by gardeners. Black hellebore can be found in Germany, as well as on the Balkan Peninsula. The plant prefers mountainous areas, it maximum height- 32 cm.
The peculiarity of black hellebore is its flowers that shoot upward. The decorative crop blooms for 12 - 15 days. One of its advantages is winter hardiness. The plant normally tolerates temperatures down to -34 degrees. Most popular variety— niger.
Caucasian
From the name you can understand that the perennial grows in the Caucasus, but it is also found in the mountains of Turkey. The peculiarity of the species is that it blooms for a long time (about 1.8 months). Hellebore Caucasian is distinguished by large peduncles, their average value- 45 cm.
The flowers of this plant do not point upward, they are lowered, depending on the variety, they can be white or brownish. The advantage of the culture is that it is resistant to temperature changes.
Beginners and experienced gardeners You should know that Caucasian hellebore is very poisonous. You need to be extremely careful when planting and picking the plant.
Abkhazian
This is one of the most beautiful views. It produces not only green, but also purple-green leaves. Abkhazian hellebore is distinguished by large reddish peduncles and drooping red flowers (the average size of 1 piece is 7 cm). The flowering period of this crop is short, about a month. Its advantages: decorative, frost-resistant.
Oriental
It grows in Greece and the Caucasus. The average height of this perennial is 25 cm, the diameter of its purple flowers does not exceed 4.5 cm. The disadvantage of this species is that it is susceptible to fungal diseases. The most famous variety is White Swan.
Smelly
As we have already said, this species spreads by self-seeding. It has small bell-shaped flowers and is native to Russia and Asia. The leaves of the hellebore are dark green and the stem is dense.
The perennial has tall peduncles. It is praised for its resistance to temperature changes. Gardeners cultivate the entire variety - Wester Flisk.
Corsican
Sardinia is the birthplace of this perennial. Unlike other species, Corsican hellebore grows as much as 70 cm! It grows actively and forms large flower stalks. The flowers of this species are yellowish and bloom in mid-February. If you grow Corsican hellebore, be sure to cover it with spruce branches!
Hellebore is valued for its resistance to diseases and harmful insects. To keep your plant beautiful and healthy, give it due attention.
Insects attack in situations where the gardener chooses the wrong place for planting or adds too much water. I do not recommend planting the flower in soil with high acidity.
Plant hellebore (lat. Helleborus) belongs to the genus of herbaceous perennials of the Ranunculaceae family, of which, according to various sources, there are from 14 to 22 species, growing in shady mountain areas in Europe, in particular in the Mediterranean, as well as in the east - in Asia Minor. A larger number of species grow on the Balkan Peninsula. In Germany, a hellebore flower in a pot is a traditional Christmas gift: the legend says that a little shepherd, upset that he had no gifts for the born Jesus, cried bitterly, and in the place where his tears fell, beautiful flowers bloomed, which the boy collected and brought as a gift to the Christ child. Since then, hellebore in Europe is called the “rose of Christ,” and in our country it is called “wintering,” because sometimes hellebore begins to bloom in January and even in November.
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Planting and caring for hellebore (in brief)
- Landing: in April or September.
- Bloom: from late February to April.
- Lighting: bright sun, partial shade and even shade.
- The soil: heavy clayey, rich in humus, deeply cultivated, neutral reaction.
- Watering: regular, especially in the heat.
- Feeding: twice a season with a mineral complex and bone meal.
- Reproduction: seeds and spring division of the bush.
- Pests: snails, slugs, aphids, hop moth caterpillars and mice.
- Diseases: downy mildew, ring spot, anthracnose.
Read more about growing hellebore below.
Hellebore flower - description
The height of hellebore grass reaches from 20 to 50 cm. It has a short and thick rhizome and a simple, weakly branched stem. The leaves are basal, leathery, long-petiolate, palmate or stop-shaped. Cup-shaped flowers on a long stalk appear at the top of the stem from late winter to late June. What we take to be flower petals are actually sepals, and the petals have transformed into nectaries. The color range of hellebore includes several shades of white, pink, soft yellow, violet, purple, ink, and there are bicolor varieties. The shape of the flowers can be simple or double. The early flowering of hellebore makes it a long-awaited and favorite plant for all gardeners, who, after a long, colorless winter, enjoy watching hyacinths, muscari, crocuses, spring flowers, scillas and, of course, hellebores appear on the site. In addition to early flowering, hellebore has such advantages as high winter hardiness and drought resistance. But for those who want to grow hellebore in the garden, there is one warning: like all buttercups, it is extremely poisonous!
Planting hellebore
When to plant hellebore
A hellebore bush can grow in one place for about 10 years, and since it tolerates transplantation very poorly, you need to approach the choice of place to plant the plant responsibly. Hellebore grows best in moist, loose, clay-drained soil of neutral reaction in partial shade, among bushes and trees. Hellebores look more impressive when planted in small groups - a bright island against the backdrop of a snow-covered or dull gray garden. Hellebores are planted in April or September.
How to plant hellebore
Holes for planting hellebore are dug 30x30x30 in size at a distance of 30 cm between specimens. Half of the pit is filled with compost. Then, having lowered the rhizome into the hole, carefully hold the plant with one hand, and fill the hole with earth with the other, compact it and water it. Within three weeks after planting, hellebore needs frequent, abundant watering.
Hellebore care
How to care for hellebore
Caring for hellebore is very simple: in the spring, before flowering begins, you need to remove all old leaves to prevent fungal spotting of young leaves and flowers of hellebore. Young leaves appear on the plant only after flowering. When the flowers fade, mulch the soil around the bushes with decomposed peat or compost. In hot weather, the plant needs regular watering, weeding and loosening of the area, as well as feeding with bone meal and mineral fertilizer twice a season.
Hellebore propagation
Hellebores are propagated both generatively and vegetatively, although the seed propagation method is most often used. Hellebore seeds are sown for seedlings immediately after ripening and harvesting - usually at the end of June - to a depth of 1.5 cm in loose, humus, moist soil. Shoots usually appear by March of the following year. When they grow up and have one or two pairs of leaves, the seedlings dive into a flowerbed located in partial shade and grow there for another two to three years. Hellebore from seeds will begin to bloom only after three years, when the plant has taken root in a permanent place, where it needs to be transplanted in April or September. This type of plant, like stinking hellebore, reproduces by self-sowing.
You can propagate hellebore by dividing the bush. In the spring, after it has flowered, five-year-old bushes are dug up, the hellebore rhizome is divided into several parts, the cuts are treated with crushed coal and planted in pre-prepared holes. By dividing the bush in the spring, black hellebore is propagated, and in the fall it is better to divide the eastern hellebore bushes.
Hellebore pests and diseases
Hellebore can be harmed by gastropods - slugs and snails that eat its leaves, as well as aphids, mice and caterpillars of the hop moth. Mice are gotten rid of with baits with poison placed in the places where they appear, snails and slugs are collected by hand, and insecticides are used against insects: aphids are destroyed with Antitlin or Biotlin, and caterpillars with Actellik.
Diseases that are dangerous for hellebore are downy mildew, anthracnose and ring spot. The carrier of spotting is aphids, which is why it is so important to prevent their presence in the garden. Parts of plants damaged by spotting are removed and burned, and the hellebore and the area are treated with fungicides. Anthracnose is diagnosed by the appearance of black-brown spots on the leaves with a barely noticeable ring pattern. Leaves affected by the disease are removed, and the plants are treated with preparations containing copper. On hellebores affected by downy mildew, new leaves stop growing, and those that have already appeared become deformed, becoming covered with dark spots on the upper side of the leaf and a gray coating on the lower side. The affected parts of the plants are cut out, and the area and hellebore are treated with Previkur or Copper Oxychloride.
In general, hellebore is a fairly resistant plant to pests and diseases, and harm can only be done to it when planting and caring for the hellebore was carried out carelessly or the growing conditions of the plant were systematically violated, for example, in an area with too high acidity of the soil. Conduct a soil acidity test: take a soil sample from the area, about the size of a teaspoon, pour it onto glass lying on a dark surface, and lightly sprinkle with table vinegar. If foaming is abundant, it means that the soil in the area is alkaline, if it is average, it is neutral, and if there is no foam at all, then it is time to add fluff lime, wood ash or dolomite flour to the area.
Hellebore after flowering
How and when to collect hellebore seeds
Hellebore seeds ripen from June to the end of summer, but the capsules unexpectedly burst and the seeds fall to the ground. To prevent this from happening, put gauze bags on several unripe bolls and wait for the seeds to ripen and pour out into the bag. After this, dry them in a dry place with good ventilation and place them in a paper bag. However, you should know that hellebore seeds quickly lose their viability, so it would be best not to store them until spring, but to sow them immediately.
Hellebore in winter
As we have already said, hellebore is a cold-resistant perennial, but in frosty, snowless winters it can suffer from freezing, especially for young plants. To prevent this from happening, sprinkle the area where the hellebore grows with dry leaves or cover it with spruce branches.
Types and varieties of hellebore
Black hellebore (Helleborus niger)
- one of the most beautiful and most widespread cultivated species, found naturally in mountain forests from southern Germany to Yugoslavia. This is an evergreen perennial up to 30 cm high with large, upward-growing flowers up to 8 cm in diameter, snow-white on the inside and slightly pinkish on the outside, located on peduncles 30 to 60 cm high. They bloom from the beginning of April for just under two weeks. The leaves of the black hellebore are winter-bearing, very dense, leathery, and have a beautiful dark green color. This species has been cultivated since the Middle Ages; its winter hardiness is high - up to -35 ºC. The most famous varieties are: Nigerkors, Nigristern, and among the varieties:
- Potter's Will– hellebore with the largest white flowers in the genus up to 12 cm in diameter;
- HGC Joshua– one of the earliest hellebores, blooming in November;
- Pracox– hellebore, which also blooms in November with soft pink flowers.
Caucasian hellebore (Helleborus caucasicus)
in nature it is most often found not only throughout the Caucasus, but also in Greece and Turkey. It has evergreen, long-petiolate, hard, leathery leaves up to 15 cm long, divided into wide segments, which can be from 5 to 11, and drooping flowers, white with green or yellowish-green with a brown tint, up to 8 cm in diameter, on peduncles ranging in height from 20 to 50 cm. Caucasian hellebore blooms from the end of April for one and a half months. The species is winter-hardy, in cultivation since 1853. This is the most poisonous type of hellebore.
Abkhazian hellebore (Helleborus abchasicus)
- a plant with long-petioled leathery bare leaves of dark green or violet-green color, purple-red peduncles 30-40 cm high and dark red drooping flowers up to 8 cm in diameter, on which darker specks are sometimes noticeable. This hellebore blooms from April for about a month and a half, is winter-hardy, and has various garden forms.
Eastern hellebore (Helleborus orientalis)
like the Caucasian hellebore, native to the Caucasus Mountains, Turkey and Greece. This is an evergreen perennial plant up to 30 cm high with purple flowers up to 5 cm in diameter. Unfortunately, the leaves of plants of this species are often affected by fungi. Of the many varieties, the most famous are:
- White Swan– white-flowered hellebore;
- Rock and Roll– hellebore with flowers covered with red-pink specks;
- Blue Anemone– flowers of a light purple hue;
- variety series Lady Series– erect, fast-growing bushes with peduncles up to 40 cm tall and flowers of six different colors.
Stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus)
from light forests and rocky slopes of Western Europe with leafy stems, reaching a height of 20-30 cm by autumn. Its leaves are wintering, with narrow shiny dark green segments and a peduncle reaching a height of 80 cm, on which a lush inflorescence of numerous , small, green, bell-shaped flowers with a reddish-brown edge. This type of hellebore easily tolerates dry weather. Popular variety:
- Vester Flisk– leaves with even narrower segments than the main species, inflorescence branches of a reddish hue.
Corsican hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius)
as the name implies, it grows naturally on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. This is an evergreen perennial plant up to 75 cm high, forming several erect stems that quickly grow in width. Yellow-green cup-shaped flowers form large complex racemes. At home, this species blooms in February, and in temperate climates not earlier than April. In our latitudes it requires shelter for the winter. The most famous variety:
- Grünspecht- hellebore with red-green flowers.
Reddish hellebore (Helleborus purpurascens)
from South-Eastern Europe, growing in bushes and forest edges in an area stretching from the western regions of Ukraine to Hungary and Romania. It has large, long-petioled basal leaves, palmately dissected into 5-7 parts, green, bare and shiny on the upper side, and bluish on the lower side. Drooping, dusty violet-purple flowers on the outside, up to 4 cm in diameter, with an unpleasant odor from the inside, have a greenish tint, and over time become completely green. This species blooms from April for a month. In culture since 1850.
Hybrid hellebore (Helleborus x hybridus)
combines varieties of garden hybrids between different types of hellebore with flowers of various colors with a diameter of 5 to 8 cm. For example:
- Violet– white flowers with a fluffy center, thin pink veins and a border;
- Belinda– white double flowers with a greenish-pink glow and a border along the edge of the petals;
- Queen of the Knight– flowers are dark purple with yellow stamens.
In addition to those described, such types of hellebores are known as green, fragrant, bush, multipartite, Tibetan, Stern and others.
Properties of hellebore
Only the poisonous hellebore root, harvested in September after the seeds have ripened, is used as a raw material for the manufacture of medicinal preparations. The roots are washed with a stiff brush, chopped, and then dried at 40-45ºC in special dryers. The shelf life of dry raw materials is no more than two years. Decoctions and infusions are prepared from it, as well as powder, which has the most powerful healing effect.
In addition to being used as a medicine, hellebore is used for weight loss. It has the remarkable property of gently cleansing the body of toxins, removing excess fluid from it, breaking down fats, accelerating fat metabolism, which ultimately leads to the loss of unnecessary pounds without such stressful methods as long-term dieting or fasting. Miracles, of course, do not happen, and you will not lose 10 kg in a week, but guaranteed to lose 4-5 kg within a month is also a decent achievement.
However, hellebore has many contraindications. You cannot use hellebore preparations:
- people who have had a heart attack, suffer from tachycardia or have other heart problems;
- people with liver disease;
- pregnant and lactating women;
- children under 14 years of age.
An overdose of drugs causes thirst, ringing in the ears, swelling of the throat and tongue, severe poisoning, and can even lead to collapse and cardiac arrest. Among plants, hellebore ranks first in terms of the content of heart poisons - sometimes death can occur after the first use of a hellebore preparation, therefore, if you are determined to use preparations containing hellebore extract, be sure to consult your doctor.
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