Hellebore Growing Info
Hellebore is a long-lasting perennial for shady areas. Like Peonies, they take a couple years to get established, but they are well worth the wait. They may seem pricey at first glance, but the newer hybrid varieties are produced from Tissue Culture(TC).
TC is a slow, labor intensive process of cloning plants to make exact reproductions of an existing plant. TC plants are the best of the best varieties available. Note that TC plants will have a Royalty Fee and may require the purchase of Pot Tags. Remember that these plants will produce flowers every year, basically forever. They are worth the price. Hellebore hardiness zone ranges from USDA zones 4-9.
Hellebore can be planted in the spring or fall with great results. When planting Hellebore, they like a partly shady spot with rich soil high in organic material. (Think about the soil you would find on the forest floor that has years of leaf matter making a loose, humus soil. That's what Hellebore like.) Space the plants 18 inches apart in the row, with two rows in a 30-inch bed, alternating the plants in a zig-zag pattern.
Hellebore are evergreen. Their leaves don't die back each year like other perennials. Older leaves do eventually die, but not in the fall with the first freeze. Foliage may live for several years before it withers and dies.
If you sell potted perennials, Hellebore would be a great addition to your lineup. They are a trendy plant that is showing up in garden centers and big box stores. They are selling in the $15-$30 range. Why not get in on the action?
Hellebore start to bloom in late-winter or early-spring – even when the weather may be cool or freezing. They continue to bloom through late-spring. When harvesting flowers, resist the urge to harvest when the flowers first open; they will be nearly impossible to hydrate and will wilt beyond recovery. Wait to harvest until the flower petals feel papery and little seed pods have started to form – usually a week or two after the flower first opens. Then they will have the longer vase life, often a week or more.
There are several series of Hellebore that work well as cut flowers.
Wedding Party (Double flowers)
Bridal Party (Single flowers)
Ice 'n Roses (Single flowers)
FrostKiss (Single flowers)
Here is information on FrostKiss availability from Pacific Plug & Liner for shipping now, and in the fall.
Pacific Plug & Liner Hellebore Availability
Pacific Plug & Liner Pricing
Here is culture info for the FrostKiss series. (It should apply to other series, too)
FrostKiss Hellebore Culture Information
To see the latest Hellebore availability of over 250,000 liners and bare root from 12 of our growers that offer Hellebore ready to ship in the next six weeks, use these search terms on WebTrack or download a list created March 12th by clicking the links below.
NOTE: Use "Hellebor" without the “e” at the end, and leave the Supplier field blank.
As always, if you need help with WebTrack, placing an order, or just have a question, contact your sales person or the Ball ColorLink office at colorlinkorders@ballhort.com or 800-686-7380. They will be happy to help you.
