| Helleborus x hybridus 2005 'Perennial Plant of the Year' If you were to go to your local nursery or garden center and pick up an un-bloomed hellebore plant, chances are it would be somewhere in the range of white to magenta, with various pinks and mauves (spotted or unspotted) being common. It would almost certainly be Helleborus x hybridus. There are also greens and 'yellows' and 'blues' and many other combinations that are possible--not to mention virtually endless combinations of spotting and veining, along with the possibility of doubles or semi-doubles. The flowers would have a range of shapes and sizes, from round cup-shaped overlapping sepals to pointed star-shaped sepals. If I had to choose a single plant for my garden, it would be Helleborus x hybridus. The species hellebores have a distinctive charm all their own, but it is the hybrids that generate the overtly visceral reactions in most gardeners. Thanks to careful selection and hybridization--along with a little imagination and luck on the part of many growers and enthusiasts--the hybrid hellebores available today show considerable variety. The variety is such that even a casual interest can turn to addiction in a short time. These easy to grow, relatively care free plants, are essential to any temperate garden. Culture In USDA 6 and above, most Helleborus x hybridus plants maintain their dark green, glossy foliage through winter. But by late winter, it is helpful to cut back the old foliage to allow better viewing of the emerging flower stalks. The buds typically emerge from the soil sometime between January and March, though they may be earlier or later depending on the hybrid's genes, as well as the local climate and recent weather conditions. Many are hardy to zone 4 or 5, but this also depends on microclimates and local conditions. In areas of constant snow cover, plants will survive very cold temperatures. When planting out, an open to partially shaded location suits them. As with most perennials, a nutritious soil that has decent drainage but is not overly dry gives best results. Still the plants will respond well to many different conditions, which is a sign of the overall adaptability of hellebores. See the growing/propagating page. A Name The term 'Helleborus x hybridus' refers to any plant resulting from cross fertilization of acaulescent (stemless) plants. It also refers to seedlings of any Helleborus x hybridus plant. The name even extends to seedlings of acaulescent species plants grown in gardens and to offspring of 'species' plants of unknown provenance. Acaulescent (stemless) hybrids are some of the most vigorous and easily grown hellebores. They often grow bigger and bloom faster than acaulescent species, though many species are also vigorous and easy to grow. Their ease of culture, combined with the beauty and range of their flowers, explain in part why they are such popular plants for gardens. Of the common names used to describe hellebores, it is names like 'Orientalis' and 'Orientalis hybrids' that cause the most confusion. 'Helleborus orientalis' is the botanical name for a species from which many hybrids derived, but some hybrids have little or no H. orientalis heritage at all. We now refer to all acaulescent hybrids as 'Helleborus x hybridus' to avoid potential confusion. See species page. 'Good' Plant, 'Bad' Plant Perhaps one of the crucial moments for hybrid hellebores in the US was the publication of Rice and Strangman's A Gardener's Guide to Growing Hellebores. The book provided information and enticing photos that most gardeners (particularly those outside Europe) had never witnessed. Interestingly, many of the forms the book described have already been produced in significant quantities on several continents. It is now possible to acquire doubles, semi-doubles, bicolors, picotees, etc. from a variety of sources. The quality of plants now available in some cases exceeds those pictured in the book. Yet, simply going to your local garden center and picking up a plant doesn't guarantee it will be of such quality. Hybrid hellebores are amazingly unpredictable, in part because they have such mixed genetics, and in part because sepals provide the color in hellebores. Quality in hybrids varies considerably. Most places do not rigorously cull plants or have real goals with hybridizing. Some plants sold are simply open-pollinated seedlings that emerged beneath the parent plants. Consequently, most plants sold end up being mediocre. When possible, it is best to purchase plants in flower or when photos of actual plants can be provided. Hand-pollination is no guarantee of success, though in many cases it can result in desirable qualities. See the page on hybridizing and selection. On the other hand, the "beauty is in the eye of beholder" cliche certainly applies here. Serious growers and collectors may indeed have clear goals in mind, but most hellebores will make fine garden plants. |
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