Helleborus
Helleborus consumer
The nursery offers one of the widest ranges of quality hellebores in Europe.
For our best prices, have a look in our catalog. Every year our nursery is organising special days for Helleborus.
See ' Helleborus Open Days '
Actual situation of our Helleborus at the nursery - 01 january 2009
Helleborus 'Amalia' Helleborus 'Candy Love'
Helleborus Torquatus 'Party Dress' Helleborus orientalis hybrids
HELLEBORUS AS INDOOR FLOWERING PLANT
We are using varieties as : Helleborus Candy Love, Helleborus Snow Love and Helleborus Amalia , as indoor plant during a period of two months - december/january/february - then the plants can be put in the garden.
Our nursery is specialised in the Helleborus.
Following is a short description of the Helleborus and the species available at ‘Het Wilgenbroek’. Helleborus is part of the Ranunculaceae family, a very large family to which also the buttercup, aconite, columbine, clematis and delphinium belong. Helleborus are classified in two large groups : the first group includes the plants with both leaves and flowers on the same stem, e.g. H. argutifolicus, H. foetidus, H. x sternii, and plants of which both flowers and leaves spring out of the ground, e.g. H. atrorubens, H. multifidus, H. orientalis, H. viridis. Most species are found in the Balkans and former Yugoslavia, but two species have been discovered in Belgium, namely H. foetidus and H. viridis. H. thibethanus originates from China, H. argutifolius (also called H. corsicus) appears in the wild on Corsica and Sardinia.
Most Helleborus are hardy with the exception of H. lividus and H. vesicarius which are found in the border region of Turkey and Syria. H. vesicarius is an outsider that demands full sun and very good drainage as the plant dies in summer, after which the area of the roots needs to be kept dry. Because of their early bloom, Helleborus are interesting plants. They bring colour to a garden at the end of winter and early spring, and their flowers, that turn colour wonderfully during seeding, keep their beauty until June.
Helleborus grow in most soils. However, they appreciate deeply tilled soil mixed with a large amount of organic material. Fertilizing can be done with bone meal or another organic fertilizer. It is advisable to add a little lime to acid soil. After planting, the plant needs to be soaked well and given a layer of mulch of 2 to 5 cm. Regularly remove dirty leaves. In spring, most leaves (of those plants of which the leaves spring out of the soil) can be cut off so that the flowers come out well. Do not plant the plants too close together so as to give them plenty of room for growing.
For those interested in reading more about Helleborus, we recommend the book by Graham Rice and Elisabeth Strangman : ‘Helleborus’ guide for enthusiasts and professionals’, translated and published by Schuyt and Co. (ISBN 90 6097 456 5 NUGI 411).
Following is a description of the plants available at the nursery:
ARGUTIFOLIUS:
A plant found in the wild on Corsica en Sardinia that grows well in the sun and in well-drained fertile soil. It can grow to a height of about 1 m and carries yellow-green flowers.
- ‘Blacktorn Strain’: about 80 cm high. The flowers are pink-green on the outside. Its leaves are grey-green on top and purple-pink at the bottom.
- ‘Ashwood Strain’: strong grey serrate leaves. Grey-green flowers.
ATRORUBENS:
A plant that grows up to 30 to 45 cm high. The new leaf is sometimes purple tinted. Its flowers vary from green to red-purple to sometimes dark purple. In the wild, the plant appears at the fringes of woods and meadows in fertile leaf soil.
DUMETORUM:
A plant for the real collector, it grows to a height of 20 to 30 cm and carries green flowers. H. dumetorum likes fertile leaf soil and a spot in the shade. Like most botanic species, this too is a fairly slow grower.
FOETIDUS:
The Dutch name for this plant is ‘stinkend nieskruid’ (‘stinking hellebore’). It likes well-drained nutritious soil. The stems, that can grow up to 80 cm high, carry numerous green flowers with or without a red edge. Very suitable for flower arrangements.
- ‘Miss Jekyll’ : red stem and flowers with a red edge – sometimes fragrant.
- ‘Sienna’ : originates from Italy. Large plant with lots of flowers.
- ‘Sopron’ : plant with metallic grey leaves and large open flowers.
- ‘Wester Flisk’ : plant with grey-green leaves and red stems. The red colour sometimes runs in the flower stems. When placed in the sun, the grey and red come out even more.
LIVIDUS:
A very beautiful plant, best cultivated in pots. On Majorca, the plant grows in the wild, which means it is sensitive to frost. It grows to a height of 40 cm. The leaves are dark green with a grey metallic shine. The flowers are green on the inside and pink-purple to grey on the outside.
MULTIFIDUS:
This species is classified in a few subspecies. They all have more or less green flowers and lose their leaf in winter.
- ‘Multifidus-bocconei’ : found in open wood and bushes. The leaf has about 20 segments. The flower is green at first and turns colour to green-white at a later stage.
- ‘Multifidus-hercegovinus’ : the fernlike leaf can be divided into more than 100 segments. The flowers are yellow-green with a diameter of about 4 cm. The plant is found in rocky slightly shaded areas.
- ‘Multifidus-multifidus’ : about 30 to 40 segments per leaf. The flowers have a metallic shine. The plant is found on rocks in open areas and light shade.
NIGER:
In Dutch, this plant is called ‘Kerstroos’ (‘Christmas rose’) because it used to be pre-drawn to be in bloom by Christmas. The Christmas rose is an evergreen that grows to a height of about 25 cm. The dark green leaves are shiny on top. The large white flowers have a green heart and can have a pink back.
- ‘Blacktorn Strain’ : this plant has pink buds and very large flowers.
X NIGERCORS:
A crossing between H. niger and H. argutifolius with beautiful flowers of which the petals have a green line in the middle. When blooming, the flowers turn green and keep their beauty for weeks. This becomes a large plant – about 100 cm in diameter. Therefore, it likes a spot in nutritious soil in the penumbra. It is one of the best cut flowers.
ODORUS:
A plant that can grow up to 50 cm high and usually loses its leaf in winter. The flowers vary from dark green to yellow-green. In the wild, H. odorus is found in forests, in bushes and on grassy slopes. The plant does well in penumbra and in the sun, provided that the soil is well fertile. Some plants smell, yet not all.
ORIENTALIS:
Most plants we come across in the garden are hybrids, to a larger or lesser extent originating from the H. orientalis. However, there are some subspecies, all of which grow to a height of about 45 cm and evergreen. They like penumbra and limy well fertile soil with a thick layer of humus.
- ‘Orientalis subsp. Orientalis’ : white flowers with a creamy or green shine.
- ‘Orientalis subsp. Abchasicus’ : red tinted flowers.
- ‘Orientalis subsp. Guttatus’ : white flowers with red or purple dots.
ORIENTALIS HYBRIDS:
The largest group and also the most interesting plants for the garden. The plants are evergreen and grow to a height of about 45 cm. The colours vary from white to red, from pink to dark purple and sometimes even to almost black. There are even plants with beautiful yellow, green or orange flowers. Over 100 orientalis hybrids exist by name. Following are a few which are available now or are expected in the future.
- ‘Hellen Ballard Strain’ : very lovely large round flowers.
- ‘Early White’, ‘Early Purple’ : respectively a white and purple variety growing to about 35 cm high and flowering very early – sometimes as early as December.
- ‘Picotee’ : beautiful veined plant with dark centre.
- ‘double white’ : a full-flowered species, sometimes with purple dots.
- ‘anemone-flowered’ : the latest and promising crossing between semi-full flowers.
PURPURASCENS:
A 30 cm-high plant that dies in winter, but very early shows its flowers – sometimes as early as December. Tolerates the sun well, but can also be placed in light shade. Demands a good soil rich in humus. The flowers vary from purple on the outside and green on the inside to completely purple. There are even flowers in purple-pink and brown tints.
X STERNII:
The X. Sternii, a crossing between the H. argutifolius and the H. lividus, is a plant that can vary a lot in height and colour. Flowers best in well drained soil in full sun.
- ‘Boughton Beauty Strain’ : plant resembling the H. argutifolius, but less high and with greyer leaf. The bottom of the leaves and the stem are pink. The flowers are pink-green on the outside and yellow-green on the inside.
- ‘Blacktorn Strain’ : low form with purple stems and silver-grey marbled leaf.
THIBETANUS:
A recently rediscovered plant – the only one originating from China. It demands a soil rich in humus and not too limy. When bursting, the flowers are white – they turn colour to light pink with pink veins. This plant is in short supply.
TORQUATUS:
A deciduous plant with many varieties. This is due to the fact that the area where it is found, is quite vast. It likes a soil rich in humus and a spot in the penumbra. The flowers are about 3 to 4 cm large and vary in colour : completely green, purple outside and green inside, with or without veins, sometimes blue-green or light brown.
- ‘Party Dress Hybrids’ : plants with double flowers, about 25 to 35 cm high, in the largest variety of colours.
VESICARIUS:
This is an exception to the species. In summer, the plant goes to rest and completely dies off. During this period, it should be kept dry. It also desires a spot in full sun and is best to be cultivated in pots. The plant grows to a height of 45 cm and starts growing in November. The flowers resemble those of the H. foetidus, but the capsules, which can become about 7 cm large, have the greatest decorative value.
VIRIDIS:
In Dutch, this plant is called ‘wrangwortel’. There are 2 subspecies : H. Viridis subspecies viridis and H. Viridis subspecies occidentalis. They both are deciduous and generally carry dark green flowers. They grow best in the penumbra and in limy soil rich in humus.
