Hellebores - characteristics
Hellebore is one of the most unusual plants grown in our gardens. Their uniqueness is primarily determined by the winter flowering season. For this reason, hellebores are sometimes called Christmas roses. No wonder that they have also found their way into apartments, becoming a very fashionable alternative to the most popular Christmas star - poinsettias. The fashion for hellebores meets the needs of lovers of various styles. As representatives of the European flora, these plants are perfect for ecological decor, accompanied by raw wood, mosses and twigs.Hellebores can also be used to decorate a sumptuous Christmas table. Their white flowers fit beautifully with typical winter colors.
The genus Helleborus includes about 20 speciesoccurring mainly in Europe and Asia Minor, of which two species: red hellebore H. purpurascens and green hellebore H. viridis also grow in Poland. The most frequently cultivated hellebore species is the white hellebore H. niger, which grows, among others, in to our western and southern neighbors.
This surprising discrepancy in the Polish and Latin names (niger means black) results from the fact that the Latin name comes from the very dark roots of these plants, while the Polish name comes from the color of the flowers. However, this name does not fully correspond to reality, because the hellebore flowers change their color with age. They are white at first, pink at the end of flowering, and green after flowering. The green color of the flowers clearly indicates that the charm of the flowers is not the petals, but the elaborate sepals.As a result, the flowers remain decorative for a long time, even after blooming. A beautiful background for them are showy dark green and glossy leaves.
Flowers set in autumn and may bloom in November(in Poland, most often at the turn of February and March). This fact is used to produce flowering plants in pots. Depending on the variety, plants are produced for the fall, winter or spring (they are often sold on Valentine's Day) flowering date, but it is worth knowing that plants, driven later, bloom more abundantly.
For pot-growing, the most popular varieties are flowering varieties with flowers raised above the leaves. In addition to the white hellebore, many hybrids belonging to the garden helleborus species H. hybridus are also used for growing in pots. The flowers of these hellebores vary in color - from white, through pink, greenish, to almost black, and various degrees of filling (they can be single, full or semi-double).Many are decorated with contrasting speckles.
How to care for hellebores
Hellebores are plants adapted to low temperatures. Depending on the variety, they only need 4 to 12 ° C to induce flowering. If we want long flowering, we should keep plants in cool rooms (up to 15 ° C), away from heat sources (radiators, fireplaces, stoves). A bright place will be good for them, e.g. on a window sill (but not above a radiator). The plants must not be allowed to dry out. The substrate should be constantly moist, but excess water should be able to drain off. With proper care, we can keep the plants
in good condition until spring, when we can plant them in the garden. Plants that will stay in the apartment for a long time will not be suitable for this. Brushed plants are very sensitive to temperatures below 0. Therefore, they should not be placed outside. Ideally, they should be moved to unheated but cool rooms (preferably a conservatory).
