Hellebore
Hellebores flower in the dead of winter, which is the whole reason to grow them, and they have one piece of maintenance that matters: cutting off every old leaf in December or January, before the flowers come up.
It looks brutal and it is the right thing to do. The old leaves carry hellebore leaf spot straight onto the new flowers, and removing them is also the only way to actually see the blooms, which hang downwards among the foliage.
Care
Woodland conditions, with dappled light under deciduous trees or shrubs, suit it well.
Standard border watering.
Fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil. H. niger prefers slightly more alkaline soil than the more adaptable H. x hybridus types — a nuance, not a full split.
Remove old, tatty leaves in late winter just as flower buds emerge, to show off the flowers and reduce carried-over leaf spot disease.
A general feed after flowering, over a mulch of leaf mould or garden compost spread round the crown in autumn. That autumn mulch matters more than the fertiliser — it is what feeds a woodland plant naturally.
Easiest by seedlings: hellebores self-sow freely, and the young plants can be lifted and potted on once they have a few true leaves, though they rarely come true to the parent. For a named form, divide the crown in early autumn instead.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- JanuaryRemove old leaves as flower buds emerge. how ›
- FebruaryMain flowering season.
- AprilMulch and feed lightly as flowering finishes. how ›
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- JanuaryRemove old leaves as flower buds emerge. how ›
- FebruaryMain flowering season.
- AprilMulch and feed lightly as flowering finishes. how ›
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. Dark blotches on leaves.
What to do. Remove affected leaves, improve airflow.
How to spot it. On emerging shoots.
What to do. Protect young shoots.
Popular varieties
Questions
Hellebore: is it hardy?
H7: Fully hardy anywhere in the UK. It survives below −20 °C.
Can it grow in a pot?
For a season or two, though happiest long-term in open ground.
Hellebore: when do you prune it?
Remove old, tatty leaves in late winter just as flower buds emerge, to show off the flowers and reduce carried-over leaf spot disease. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in January.
Hellebore: when does it flower?
In the climate of UK it flowers in December–March.
When do you feed it?
A general feed after flowering, over a mulch of leaf mould or garden compost spread round the crown in autumn. That autumn mulch matters more than the fertiliser — it is what feeds a woodland plant naturally. Feeding months, UK: March.