Plant ant of the week: Hybrid hellebores

Combinations of species have varieties for almost all situations

Recent years have seen an explosion in the range of helleborus hybrids available to gardeners. The various selections have created varieties of elegance, adaptability and durability. Unlike many snowdrop varieties, most are grown commercially making them more available and cheaper!

Crossing related species and hybrids has not only produced a gorgeous range of long-lasting flowers, but it has also boosted the ornamental qualities of the resulting foliage, with shapely leaves and silvery patterning. The habitat preferences of the parents are also embodied, meaning they can thrive in situations that traditional Lenten roses, or Helleborus hybridus, wouldn’t tolerate.

H. hybridus is, in reality, a complex race of hybrids involving five or six related species. Over time it has resulted in an astonishing range of flowers, reaching various states of doubleness and flower colours from almost black to red, yellow and peachy shades, selfcoloured, spotted or blotched, with various double or anemone forms. It prefers moist soil or even clay in semi-shade.

H. lemonnierae has produced a vigorous plant with large, forward-facing flowers on tall stems, which again prefers damp soil and semi-shade, but is also good in pots. Conversely, H. ballardiae, H. ericsmithii and H. nigercors have variously used shadetolerant Christmas rose H. niger with drought-tolerant H. lividus enabling them to tolerate exposure to sun and drier soil, with H. nigercors

even tolerating dry shade if watered until established.