Helleborus niger 'CHRISTMAS CAROL'

Hellebore (Lenten rose) is not a new plant to Czech and Slovak gardens. I remember those flowering stems that surprisingly pushed through the snow in late winter and I kept asking grandma how come that a plant can flower while there is still snow on the ground. These evergreen perennials are still very popular, mainly thanks to newly hybridized varieties with fantastic flowers.

Christmas Carol hellebore is a very early variety which is able to start flowering long before Christmas, often in late October until late winter. And thanks to flowers' longevity they remain nice for about 6-8 weeks even after the stamens have fallen down. Its flowers are small to mid-sized: 4-5 cm across, and pure white with yellow stamens in the centre. Evergreen leaves are leathery, palmate, and deep green and form a compact clump.

Hellebore likes heavy, evenly moist, neutral to alkaline, rich in humus soil in dappled shade or filtered sun. This hybrid will prefer at least half a day with direct sunlight. Fertilizing will increase flowering and help the leaves remain strong and nice throughout the winter. Grow it somewhere near your house entrance or close to the window you look out of frequently so that you can enjoy the plant when it starts flowering since at that time the weather outside is not yet ideal for walking around the garden. The flowers can cheer up a number of grey and dull days of late winter therefore thumbs up for hellebore! Harmful if eaten. Hardy to about -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 22-10-2019