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Helleborus

Helleborus (Christmas rose and Lenten rose): winter flower for shade, pots and cutting

Helleborus is a hardy, evergreen perennial that flowers when almost nothing else does. The Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) flowers white from December to February; the Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis and × hybridus) flowers from February to April in white, green, pink, red and purple, often spotted. Hellebores like partial shade and live for many years. Holland Bulb Market supplies Christmas roses, Ballard hybrids and double-flowered Double Ellen in many colours.

Uses

Shade gardens: winter and spring colour under trees and shrubs, together with lily of the valley and hosta.
Pots and containers: the Christmas rose is a popular pot plant for Christmas and winter containers.
Cut flowers: mature flowers last long in a vase and floating in a bowl.
Retail: planting stock in consumer packs and flowering pot plants for winter and spring.

Professional cultivation: Helleborus in pots

Helleborus is widely grown in pots. Plant in well-drained potting soil with the crown at soil level and grow the plants cool and light, in a cold greenhouse or outdoors. This way the Christmas rose can be delivered in flower around Christmas and the Lenten rose from February. Keep the soil moist but not wet.

In the garden, hellebores are planted in autumn or spring; they prefer not to be disturbed. Read more about professional growing.

Our Helleborus range

Helleborus niger (Christmas rose), Helleborus orientalis Ballard Hybrids and double-flowered Double Ellen in green, picotee, pink, pink spotted, purple, red, white and white spotted.

Flowering time by group

Group	Flowering (NL, outdoors)	Height (approx.)	Examples
Christmas rose (H. niger)	December – February	20–30 cm	Niger, Christmas Carol
Lenten rose (H. orientalis, × hybridus)	February – April	30–40 cm	Ballard Hybrids, Double Ellen Picotee
Double Ellen (double-flowered)	February – April	30–40 cm	Double Ellen Red, Double Ellen White

Key facts

Planting season	autumn or spring
Planting	crown at soil level, 30–45 cm apart
Flowering	December – April, depending on species
Position	partial shade; humus-rich, well-drained soil, tolerates lime
Hardiness	hardy and evergreen
Toxicity	all parts are toxic to humans and animals; the sap can irritate the skin

View all hellebores in the webshop. Business customers see prices after logging in. Our current catalogues are on the Downloads page. For a quotation, please contact us.