Early Spring Floral Showcase: Cold-Resistant Hellebores

Hellebores are hardy plants with evergreen foliage and beautiful flowers. Although they’re also known as winter roses, Christmas roses, and Lenten roses, hellebores are not related to the rose family. The flowers of the hellebore have five petal-like sepals that surround the small cup-like space where the nectar is held. Unlike regular petals, the sepals don’t fall, but stay on the plant for many months. It’s important to mention that though lovely, many hellebore species are poisonous when ingested and can cause skin irritation in some people when handled without gloves. Hellebores are commonly known as Christmas Roses in the northern hemisphere, mainly due to their ability to flower in winter. The name Christmas Rose dates back to a legend connected with the birth of Jesus Christ.

Now if you decide to plant hellebores in your garden, you can start at any time of year but the prime time is between autumn and spring. Due to hellebores being native to mountainous regions with limestone bedrock, they like soil that’s alkaline to neutral. It’s best to avoid planting them in full sun. If it gets too hot in your area, you can use mulch to keep them cool. During the winter, hellebores don’t need to be trimmed to the ground because they remain green. In general, hellebores are highly resistant to pests and disease.

Now to creating your early spring garden. To add more splashes of color to your garden you can include the following plants that do well with hellebores: hostas, native perennial ferns, coral bells, astilbe, and bleeding heart. If you’re a kale or cabbage fan, you can also plant ornamental kale or cabbage as like hellebores, these plants can withstand frost and are commonly planted next to pathways and among spring flowers.