Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Late Hellebores?

JoneskJonesk Posts: 205

I moved some Hellebores last year from under some conifers we took down. 3 were very small self seeded plantlets and 1 was larger and I think the original plant. The large plant flowered very well after being moved (can't recall what month) and the others put out new vegetation.

I keep checking on them and nothing at all had happened. When I checked again today I saw new shoots poking through the soil on 3 of the plants.

I thought they were supposed to flower in January? Will this new growth just be leaves or possibly flowers as well? Is this behaviour normal for Hellebore? (sorry I have no idea what type they are)

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    If they're H. orientalis hybrids (most likely) the flowers come before the new leaves.

    How big/old are they? 

     



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Not too sure, but I think the 3 small ones are still too young to flower. I have a feeling that it takes about 3 yrs for them to mature . 

    Hopefully someone who is more knowledgeable will be along soon!

  • JoneskJonesk Posts: 205

    Thanks, looks like i'll probably miss flowers this year then. There are 2 small plants (only 3 leaves each), a medium sized plant that flourished last year with lots of leafy growth and the large plant had at least 6-8 flowers last year.

    I planted them in good quality compost an added some Vitex Q4 fertilizer pellets when they were planted. They are planted in shade.

    Do I need to do anything else for them?

  • Once again can't offer any help really. I've only just started to grow them in my garden and was asking for help myself a few weeks ago. I bought 3 bigger plants that are in flower now and I also have 2 big pots full of smaller self seeded ones that were given to me by a neighbour about 6 months ago, may pot them on a few more times before planting them out. They are kept outside as they are hardy plants. The 3 bigger ones were planted out just over a week ago......so keeping my fingers crossed!

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    Seedlings take about three years to flower. Dont give up hope yet. 

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601

    I wonder where you are in the country? My hellebores are the Orientalist type and I understand that they are commonly known as Lenten Roses, as opposed to Christmas Roses. Given the name, you would expect later flowering. I am on the south coast and they are already in full flower but this is probably early. Yes, they like shade but not very dry soil. I'd give them time to establish and get their roots down - they don't like being moved - good luck!

  • Hi , I'm on the south coast and my Christmas Rose is in full flower too. I've been told ( might not be true!!) that the Christmas Rose variety flowers around the Christmas period and the Lenten Rose one around Easter.

  • JoneskJonesk Posts: 205

    Thank you for your responses image I was unaware there were different types - I might buy some Christmas roses to plant in the same area to extend the flowering period.

    I live in North Wales, a rural area amongst farmland with small mountains to the West - The weather tends to roll off the mountain and has just flat farmland before it hits our garden so we can be a bit exposed here and things are usually a little later (e.g frogspawn not until end of March!)

    Like Verdun I found they moved very well and all seemed to settle in last year but perhaps put their energy into establishing roots again and maybe are a bit behind now. I'll keep an eye out and will let you know if they do flower this year.

Sign In or Register to comment.