When do lenten roses bloom

New colors are also being released; we have included images of some of the varieties we have in stock right now February throughout this post. What we see as flowers are actually the sepals of the bloom; the flowers themselves are inconspicuous. Some varieties have spotted flowers, others are bicolor or streaked, and still others are double. Hellebore flowers can be up to 2 inches in diameter!

Size of plant, flower color and other attributes are variety specific. And interesting tidbit shared by our perennial grower, Jen Mistretta, is in regards to the double flowers.

You might notice that double flowers usually face downwards. This is a natural growth pattern to protect the blooms from rain, since water sheds well off the downward facing blooms. Like many of our landscape plants, they like well drained soil; if the roots stay too wet, issues will arise. Here in central Arkansas, protection from the hot afternoon sun is needed.

Plant in part sun areas that get morning sun or dappled afternoon sun. Although the plants grow well in shady spots, if the shade is too dense, they may not flower well.

Because the soils in our area tend to contain clay and lack organic materials, we suggest amending your soil when planting landscape plants. The species are rarely used in gardens as hellebores hybridize easily and many improved garden plants with superior flowering and flower colors have been developed. Formerly known as Helleborus orientalis hybridus — a confusing and incorrect name since H. These Lenten roses are hybrids of at least nine species but there are additional interspecific hybrids, such as H.

Lenten rose is hardy from Zone 9 to Zone 5 and colder when plants have with winter protection such as good snow cover. Lenten rose in a garden. The glossy, deep green foliage can be quite variable in color and shape, even within the same hybrid. The leaves are divided into 7 to 9 segments with an umbrella-like shape.

They have tough, almost woody stems with leaves and terminal inflorescence on the same stem. The toothed, leathery foliage remains attractive throughout the growing season, remaining evergreen in mild climates and even persisting under snow but decline over the winter, often flattened on the ground.

Lenten rose forms a large clump L of deeply divided, umbrella-like leaves LC that persist even under snow RC , although the evergreen foliage often is flattened to the ground by the following spring as new shoots emerge R.

What appear to be the colored petals are really sepals. Flower spikes emerge from the underground rhizome in late winter.

Five petal-like sepals a modified calyx surround a ring of small, yellowish-green, tubular, nectaries in an open, bell shape. The nectaries are actually the petals modified to hold nectar.

Inside the ring of petals there are numerous stamens and several pistils. After the flower is pollinated the petals and stamens fall off but the sepals do not drop, remaining on the plant for months or more probably contributing to seed development. It's valued for its early blooms of purple, red, yellow, green, blue, lavender, and pink and its leathery evergreen foliage. The multicolored flowers—actually sepals similar to petals but longer-lasting—are large 3 to 4 inches in diameter and hang downward in clusters from thick stems that rise above the foliage.

The flowers may also have variations in markings, such as margins of a different color, showy freckling, or veining. Flowering initially occurs near ground level, below last year's leaves. It's a slow grower from seeds; it can take two to three years to mature into a flowering plant. Hellebores can be planted in early fall or late spring and have a long eight- to week bloom period. Lenten rose is toxic to humans, dogs, cats, and horses.

Lenten rose is one of the easiest plants to grow. Keeping the soil moist and mulching in early winter will encourage the plants to grow, but hellebores can tolerate drier conditions once established. Plant them in early fall or late spring in a partially or fully shady spot; keep them sheltered from harsh winter winds. This plant's shade tolerance makes it perfect for woodland gardens. The flower's color becomes less vibrant as summer approaches and entirely fades by fall, but you can look forward to the persistence of the Lenten rose's sepals for about six months.

One of the best perennials for shade , hellebores will retain their vibrant sepals and foliage without requiring much sun. An ideal location for hellebore plants is under the canopy of a deciduous tree, which provides shade in the summer but loses its leaves in winter. This early spring flower prefers evenly moist, well-draining, fertile soil. Enrich the soil with compost to improve the vigor of the plants or fertilize with manure tea. Helleborus plants prefer evenly moist but not constantly wet soil; soggy soil can invite disease.

Provide enough water to keep the soil moist during prolonged periods of hot and dry weather but once established, hellebores can tolerate dry conditions. You can expect that new plants will need about an inch of water per week if there is no rain in the forecast. Although its foliage is evergreen, hellebores may become scorched and tattered in extremely harsh winters. The plants will need winter protection to keep them safe during deep freezes.

During the summer, the plant will need some shade protection if you live in a zone with intensely hot, sunny summers. It likes constant moisture and grows well in humid climes. Regularly amending your soil with organic matter is enough for a single specimen hellebore, but for larger plants or a bunch of them, lightly fertilize with a slow-release, balanced fertilizer in early spring as new foliage is beginning to emerge.

If using liquid fertilizer, make sure you do not get it on the foliage; it can burn the leaves. If you accidentally splash some on the plant, use a steady stream of water to wash it off. The cultivars of lenten rose have different bloom colors, but the basic plant form is identical.

There are a couple of hellebore species that are similar to the Lenten rose. Remove old or dead leaves from the plant before the plant is in full bloom usually late winter or early spring. Allow the evergreen foliage to continue throughout winter until the blossoms begin to expand. Remove any browned and ragged foliage at the base. Once flowers have started to brown at the tips, cut them back to the bottom of the plant; the time of year depends on your zone and the growing season conditions.

Lenten rose is among the easiest plants to propagate. Deep burgundy flecking towards the center of the flowers makes this a striking companion to 'Kingston Cardinal'.

For landscape craftsman Jerry Fritz, Helleborus x hybridus hybrid Lenten rose are staples in the landscapes he designs for his clients. Advances in propagation through division, tissue culture, and hand-pollination have resulted in more diverse flower colors, forms, patterns, increased plant vigor, and larger blooms. Fritz—a well-known speaker, author, and industry expert who has been featured in many national publications and appeared on the Martha Stewart Show —trials the newest hellebore cultivars at Linden Hill Gardens, his destination plant nursery in Ottsville, Pennsylvania.

For me, hellebores are an indispensable plant for any serious gardener. Do hellebores spread? Yes, hellebores will self-sow. However, allowing them to do so may result in unexpected hybrids if you grow multiple types in close proximity. Thin out any new seedlings that are too close to mature plants.