Hello Everyone,

(Search words: Lenten Rose)

Lenten Rose (Heleborus orientalis):
Energizer Blooming Bunny as a Bridge to Spring

I used to say, “What would we do without camellias to keep our color pallet going through the late winter months?” I still greatly appreciate camellias but beauty loves company and flowers that have been greeting me every day for 6 to 8 weeks since February and they keep “going and going” are my Lenten roses. I still have 3 to 4 weeks left which will carry me past many of the entries and exits of forsythia, quince, pear and other nice but short performers. There are other species of Hellebores but this is “Hort Shorts” .

Most flowers have “parts” and the petal parts are usually the color attractants for the bees. With Lenten rose the petals have been reduced to short greenish/amber horns called nectaries and are surrounded by the protective sepal scales that are usually subdued and do not add much as ornamental attractants for the bees or gardeners. I offer this lengthy note because the sepals of Lenten rose provide the color and make it a wonderful flower because, unlike flower petals that quickly explode into color and crash to the ground like fireworks, the sepals have staying power like neon lights. These lights make for bad neighbors but are wonderful for the garden! The lights/flower cultivars range from green, yellow, red, pink, purple and black to a pure white with all ranges of speckles, stripes, edgings and other artistic renderings. They are all beautiful outdoors but also picked with 1 inch stems and floated in water indoors like camellias.

What seems to be the rubber stamp requirements for most plants is also the prescription of success for Lenten roses. They enjoy a soil that gardeners like to get their hands in; deep, loamy, rich organic material usually only seen on TV in Victory Garden settings. But, my yard offers somewhat less than those ideal conditions but has good drainage and the plants are flourishing especially if lime is added to boost your soil to a pH of about 7. They thrive in sun or shade but look their best under high shade or a north or east orientation to avoid full mid-day sun in the summer.

The only other tid-bit of information that is interesting and needs sharing is that this plant is not often seen in the garden because it is slow to propagate from seed and division so many nurseries do not grow it. It is also why a small plant looks like someone switched the price tag. If you collect your own seed in June and plant immediately, it will germinate and begin growth early. However, if the seed dries out, it goes dormant and will require warm and cold stratification. You can dig the whole plant in September and shake/wash off the roots and note the obvious (???) division points along the rhizomes. The best, most vigorous divisions are on the outside edges. Take a leaf and some roots and plant in the good stuff mentioned above, possibly a raised bed. You can also plant it and forget it and allow nature to run its course. Over time large numbers of seedlings will pop up in good soil conditions. Of course with such diversity in the flowers, there is little hope of getting the same color flowers as the mother plant.

If you go to Birmingham Botanical Gardens, they have a wonderful full bed of Hellebores in their Southern Living Garden. It is a great example to see what could be in your yard. Try your local garden centers to find a start or a few starts of this plant. Plants are a great investment. After a few years you will be dividing and offering your treasures to friends…. or not! If you cannot find it locally, Sam Jones of Piccadilly Farms, 1971 Whippoorwill Road, Bishop, GA 30621-6227, (706) 769-6516 is famous for these plants and other hard to find jewels.

Please come back often and enjoy HortShorts as much as I enjoy posting them for you. Your enthusiastic plant response is always encouraged and welcome.