Helleborus

[Biggles]

I have two Helleborus plants. 'argutifolius' and 'Niger'.

I would like to propagate these two but I am not sure which is the best way to do it. Should I get seed from them and sow? 0r should I 'split them'? Or just buy 'new' plants from the GC?

They are in flower now and getting quite large in size.

[Ladygardener]

Hi Biggles, they're lovely plants and belong to the same family as buttercups. They don't like their roots disturbed so autumn and early spring are not recommended some flower now and some in early spring,as far as I know. I understand some of them self seed freely but the orientalis type don't come true to seed and are slow to germinate. My humble advice would be to leave it until they're finished flowering for the season and split them after that, late spring maybe which would give them lots of time to adjust before they flower next season.

[Biggles]

Thanks for your advice, LNG.

Having never grown them before I had no idea what to do, but I will wait for Springtime as you advise.

Thanks once again. Bigs

[Dutchy]

Better late than never.
I only found your question just now
Helleborus Niger the white christmas rose as some call her produces seeds which do well in almost any soil. But when you sow your seeds in compost wit a bit of grid in, it makes it a lot happier. It will take the seedlings three years to become lovely big flowering plants.
First year they are not likely to flower.

Helleborus argutifolius is a different cookie.
It is prolific in well drained soil. It has a preferrance for selfsowing in gravel in full sun.
That should help you with sowing it.
Also this one grows a lot faster than the other Hellebore.
So far all seedlings which found their way into my gravel bed flowered the next season.
It does hate transplanting which almost always kills it.
Sow it in deep containers then it won't notice you transplanting it.

No splitting any of them Biggs.

With both hellebore the seeds are in the big fat pods which are best left untill they go pale or brown and the seeds inside are going from greenish to black. Keep an eye on them as this sometimes goes faster than expected and at times the pods open when they are still light green but the seeds already going dark. ( which of course you only see when the pods have opened up )

Have fun with them Bigs
Cheers Dutchy

[Biggles]

Thanks Dutchy--I have 'Cut and Pasted' your reply and stored it in my Garden Folder so I dont forget and will have it to read later when needed.

You have explained it very well- Thanks--Bigs

[Cheerypeabrain]

RIP Biggles...saw this and it made me quite misty eyed. I miss Kath.

My hellebores are doing well, and the seeds sown last autumn have produced 3 sturdy seedlings.

[JennyWrenn]