Christmas Rose Helleborus niger – Planting and Care

Consider adding a Christmas Rose to your wish list for next season’s garden. Not a true rose, though the flowers do resemble one and this perennial plant blooms around Christmas in milder climates and later in colder regions. 

The colorful parts of the flower are really sepals. These fade to pink and often persist for months in the garden.

The evergreen foliage can take a beating during extreme winter weather, but new leaves appear each spring.

Hardy in zones 3 to 8 Christmas rose, botanically known as Helleborus niger, is a bit more challenging to grow than the later blooming Helleborus orientalis. They perform best in part to full shade and moist well-drained soil. Plant them in a sheltered location out of drying winter winds for the greatest success. Once established, they’re drought tolerant.

Christmas rose does not need regular division and prefers to stay put.

A bit more information:  You may find these at local garden centers and try your hand at growing indoors for holidays and moving into the garden at the proper planting time for your area. For more information, listen to my other audio tips on Christmas roses.

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hellebore flowers-ornamental-grasses shade-plants

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