Landing
For a plant such as hellebore, planting and further care will depend on the chosen breeding option. They are planted in 2 ways: by seeds, by dividing. The second option is rarely used, since some varieties take root poorly, do not bloom at all.
Seed propagation is the best for hellebore
Lucky for those who have grown on the site Caucasian hellebore or any other variety. In the fall, it will be possible to collect many seeds with excellent germination. They are sown after harvest. Mineral substances are introduced into the open ground, and only then the seeds. Sprinkle with a small layer of soil, about 1 cm.
When choosing a landing site, you should be guided by the following principles:
- The hellebore grass will grow well and bloom luxuriantly where a light shade has been created for it. It is in partial shade that a representative of the buttercup family will delight the grower with its exuberant flowering for a long time. The leaves will grow large and the color will be rich.
- Being in direct sunlight, the eastern hellebore begins to fade. Its leaves become shallow and pale.
- According to landscape designers, gelleborus is best combined with evergreen conifers.
Planting seedlings in open ground begins with digging a shallow hole - no more than 30 centimeters. The hole diameter will be the same. If you have free time, we advise you to lay out the bottom of the hole with pebbles, sprinkle with sand. You will get effective drainage that protects against decay. If moisture does not linger, drainage is not necessary. As mentioned above, a neutral, slightly alkaline soil is selected. Is the earth rich in humus? This will only benefit. Growth points do not deepen.
Spring planting hellebore plant
In the spring, disembarkation is permissible. They dig holes in the ground a little deeper than the root. The bottom is laid out with humus, compost, the bush is set vertically, and the root is straightened. The well fills evenly. Holding the plant, the rhizome is covered with soil and slightly strengthened with a palm, watered abundantly.
Landing
The hellebore can be grown as a home potted plant or planted outdoors. The most attractive herbaceous bushes of this perennial look when placed singly or in small groups of 2-3 plants.
Timing
In the open field, the hellebore is planted in the form of seedlings or by dividing the bush. This procedure is performed in mid-spring, that is, in April, or in autumn no later than September.
To grow a plant from seeds, they are collected from faded specimens in early July and immediately planted for germination. The germination rate of fresh planting material is good, and you will have young plants by March, next year. After the appearance of several pairs of leaves, the hellebore is transferred to the flower garden by picking. In a shaded place, flower seedlings will grow and develop for 2-3 years, after which they can be finally transplanted in September or April to a permanent place.
Technology
Growing hellebore is not difficult - it is important to choose a location with neutral soil pH and good drainage. The plant loves loose substrates, but it can also grow on loams if mixed with humus.
You can plant this perennial between trees and shrubs, but the hellebore does not like the neighborhood with conifers.
The success of cultivating a hellebore in the garden depends on how correctly the technology of its planting is performed:
- the landing hole should be made about 30x30 cm, its depth should also be at least 30 cm;
- the distance between herbaceous bushes should be kept within 25-30 cm from each other;
- compost is poured into the hole at half its height, on which the seedling is placed;
- when placing a plant in a hole, the soil after planting is well compacted and watered abundantly.
In order for the plant to take root well, after planting it needs to be watered every day.
This rule must be observed for at least a month, and it is especially important to monitor soil moisture if hot weather is established. Sometimes watering has to be done twice a day - in the morning and in the evening.
How to grow hellebore grass on the site
At all times, the hellebore was listed in the Red Book. Already in the 70s of XX, the stocks of hellebore raw materials were small. This is due to the deforestation of forests, shrubs, an increase in the intensity of grazing, as well as the massive plucking of hellebore to make bouquets.
As a result of plant migration, all types of hellebore on the territory of the Russian Federations and individual countries have become rare. Therefore, in places of natural growth, the collection of these plants is prohibited. The hellebore must be used rationally. On garden plots, as an ornamental plant, the hellebore, subject to the conditions for its cultivation, is quite easy to breed.
Location. When growing hellebore, it should be remembered that this culture does not need frequent transplants and reacts painfully to them. Therefore, when choosing a site for her, the gardener must take into account all the preferences of the flower so that it develops successfully for 10 years or more.
It grows more slowly in bright sunlight, so shaded areas will be more appropriate when breeding (planting) it. Recommended to be planted between garden trees and shrubs.
The soil. Hellebores are undemanding to soils, planting them is best done on heavy loamy, slightly acidic or neutral, moderately moist, humus-rich soil, with a large fertile layer and always filled with lime. In the case of a lack of lime in the soil, the leaves can be damaged by a fungal disease in the form of black spots. Also, for a southern plant, good drainage is needed; you need to water the flower vigorously only in dry times.
Transfer. Young seedlings tolerate transplanting well, but only up to the age of 3 years. In the future, it is undesirable to transplant plants. The distance between the plants should be 50–100 cm, which will allow you to dig out hellebores without damaging the adjacent ones. The uniqueness of this plant lies in the fact that it can exist for 40-50 years in one place without transplanting.
Top dressing. It is believed that this culture does not need feeding, but in practice, fertilization must be included in the care of a hellebore flower, this has a beneficial effect on the development and flowering process of the plant.
Bone meal and superphosphate are added in early spring. It is useful to add bone meal every 3 months. To prevent the development of fungal diseases, the soil should be fertilized with mineral complexes. This is best done during the summer in dry weather.
Watering. When growing a hellebore, taking care of it, many gardeners waste time and energy on watering. In central Russia, where in winter the soil is covered with a thick layer of snow, watering is not necessary, since the soil is naturally moistened. In the southern regions, frequent watering is not necessary for the hellebore, as its tough leaves slowly evaporate moisture. It is necessary to moisten the soil around the plant only on hot days and with prolonged drought.
11. Varieties:
11.1. Caucasian frostbite - Helleborus caucasicus
Very attractive flowering, perennial, herbaceous, low-growing plants with a height of 20 to 30 cm. In warm climates, plants can remain evergreen. Leaves are compound, basal, on long, thin petioles, consist of 5 - 9 oblong segments connected in a circle.The edges of the leaf segments are finely toothed, the surface of the leaf plates is dark green, glossy, the leaf veins are highlighted in a lighter shade. During the flowering period, tall, strong peduncles appear in the center of the leaf rosette, which bear large, cupped, drooping flowers with greenish, yellow, cream or white petals on the tops. Flowers often have a darker center.
11.2. Oriental frostbite - Helleborus orientalis
Herbaceous plants with a height of 30 to 45 cm. Leaves are dark green, complex, consist of segments connected in a circle - each leaf has from 7 to 9 oblong segments. The edges of the leaf plates have small denticles. Plants remain evergreen in warm climates. Each bush forms numerous, erect, strong peduncles, at the top of which are attractive cup-shaped flowers with a diameter of 7 to 10 cm.The petals of flowers can be painted in white, cream, greenish, pink, purple and even almost black shades.
11.3. Black roaster - Helleborus niger
Perennial herb 20 to 60 cm high. Leaves are dark green, compound, on long petioles. Each leaf can consist of 7 - 9 finely toothed, oblong segments. Peduncles are low, erect, reach a height of 8 - 20 cm. The flowers are cup-shaped, with five wide petals and numerous golden-yellow stamens in the center. Plants with white flowers are most common, but individual bushes may have pink, greenish, creamy flowers.
11.4. Abkhazian frostbite - Helleborus abchasicus
Compact herbaceous flowering plants, reaching a height of 30 - 45 cm. They have basal complex leaves on long petioles, consisting of 7 - 9 leafy, finely toothed segments of dark green color. During the flowering period, the plants throw up erect, strong peduncles, each bearing from 1 to 4 drooping, pinkish or lilac flowers.
11.5. Stinking freebird - Helleborus foetidus
Quite tall species - bushes can reach 60 cm in height. It is an evergreen in warm climates, a perennial plant with dark, complex, leaves on long basal petioles. The leaf blades are glossy, very narrow, lanceolate, sometimes bluish. When damaged, the leaves emit an unpleasant odor, which is why the plant received this name. The flowers are greenish-white, small, drooping, collected in inflorescences on the tops of erect, strong peduncles.
11.6. Corsican or holly frostbite - Helleborus argutifolius
Tall, evergreen in warm climates, flowering plants from 45 to 60 cm high. Leaves complex - consist of 3 oblong, finely toothed, dark green, glossy segments. The segments can be folded slightly along the central vein. Peduncles are strong, erect, each can bear 20 - 30 flowers at the top. The flowers are small, reaching 2.5 - 5 cm in diameter, cupped, greenish, slightly drooping.
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Myths about hellebore
One of the legends says that as early as 600 BC, the flower was used for mass murder, namely the destruction of opponents in war. Having fenced off the troops of the Syrians, Solon (the leader of the ancient Greek army) ordered to block the Pleistus River and leave the enemy without water. However, the Syrians did not want to surrender so easily, after which Solon said to throw the roots of the winter house into a natural spring and remove the fence from the river. As soon as the Syrians began to drink water from the river, mass poisoning began in the city, and the army had to involuntarily surrender.
The hellebore is called Christ's rose for a reason, one legend is associated with the plant. Once a poor country girl came to bow to the Christ child. She cried for a long time and was very upset that she did not bring a single color because of the severe drought.And then angels appeared to her, one of them touched the cold ground, after which a Christmas rose appeared in the same place.
How to grow a hellebore read here
Description of hellebore flower
The genus of the Buttercup family, to which the hellebore flower, amazing by its nature, belongs, has more than 22 species. The plant got its name due to its high frost resistance, which is why it is grown even in the coldest regions. Hellebore flower stalks begin to develop right under the snow and after a while they get out. Herbaceous perennial grows up to 50 cm in height. The hellebore is characterized by a small rhizome, an erect stem without side shoots, small petals and large double flowers. Another feature of the wintering house is early flowering; in a mild climate, the hellebore begins to bloom as early as February. Gardeners fell in love with the flower for its practicality, it does not require additional shelter in winter (it tolerates -6 degrees of frost) and is able to grow in one place for many years in a row.
Not many people know that hellebore is a poisonous plant, as indicated by its Latin name Helle-borus. The habitat of hellebore is the shady terrain of the mountains in Europe and the Mediterranean. The wild-growing flower is also found in Asia Minor. The plant has long-stemmed basal leathery leaves. At the end of June, large cupped flowers of pink, purple, white, yellow or purple appear at the top of the stem. Hellebore sepals are often mistaken for petals, while the flowers themselves are transformed into tubular funnel nectaries. Flowers, depending on the variety, are double and simple. To date, breeders have managed to breed hybrid forms of culture that bloom in lilac, plum and black.
Planting a plant
Considering that hellebores are perennial plants and have been growing in one place without transplanting for many years, you should choose a place for planting a crop in accordance with the requirements of agricultural technology.
Hellebores grow best on humus-rich soils, under tree crowns, where there is a lot of decayed foliage. The plant requires a shady location with little sunlight. Tree crowns that let in sunlight are the perfect neighborhood for a hellebore. The hellebore grows great when planting and caring for the plant is carried out correctly.
By choosing the right place for planting, you will ensure the annual active flowering of the perennial in your garden.
The soil for planting a plant must retain moisture: the hellebore cannot stand a lack of moisture. Care should be taken that the soil for planting the hellebore does not contain clay particles, is not caked and heavy.
Planting delenoks or hellebore bushes is carried out in specially prepared shallow square pits (approximately 0.25 x 0.25 m). A distance of at least 0.3 m is maintained between the plants. Compost is added to the bottom of the pit. The roots of the hellebore are spread in a pit, sprinkled with soil on all sides, squeezed and abundantly watered. Within about 3 weeks from the day of planting the plants, abundant watering is required, while avoiding overflow and stagnation of water.
Description of the species
Having lost popularity among flower growers, 10-15 years ago they remembered the hellebore again. And today it is found in many household plots, decorates fields and flower beds with luxurious flowers.
Hellebore is a plant from the buttercup family
A hellebore is recommended for novice gardeners - planting and further care are not difficult. According to old beliefs, it was the Caucasian hellebore that was found near the birthplace of Jesus. Plants are evergreen, from the buttercup family. They are actively used in traditional, official medicine for the treatment of various diseases.
- The maximum height is no more than 50 centimeters.
- Hellebore root is small but powerful enough.
- Flowers located at the edge of the stem, as well as leaves, are of decorative value. They practically lie on the ground.
- The color is peculiar. Outside, almost all the flowers are pale green, but inside they impress with an abundance of colors. Almost any color can be found in nature.
How to take care of it properly?
Cultivation of Arabis will not be difficult if it is planted in a flat, open, well-lit place, and care is carried out regularly. Penumbra is quite acceptable, but the shrub grows most actively in the sun, blooms more abundantly, magnificently. Since this is a mountain plant, it perfectly tolerates light drought, but the abundance of moisture is not suitable for it. However, the same can be said about excessive aridity.
Therefore, it is so important to regularly monitor the condition of the soil. If the summer is dry, there is no rain, you need to water the Arabis
After the bush gets stronger, becomes mature, it is weeded only when necessary. But you need to constantly monitor the condition of the bush, since this plant is prone to abundant and violent growth. It is necessary to constantly cut off too long shoots.
If this is not done, the bushes will intertwine with other plants, blocking access to oxygen and causing fungal diseases. In addition, the bloom will be less showy. Flowers that have withered should be constantly removed, this way the flowering period is extended.
Arabis grows well in the middle zone of our country, but it must be covered for the winter. A shelter should be created from arcs and agrofibre. In this case, moisture should not get on the plant, it closes only in dry form. Dampness in combination with frost will kill the rash.
