- origin
- growth
- blossom
- heyday
- fruit
- leaves
- use
- Is Lenten Rose Poisonous?
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- propagate lentil rose
- sowing
- Spring rose in the pot
- Water spring rose
- Fertilize spring rose properly
- Properly cut spring roses
- How do I plant correctly?
- hardy
- Diseases
- pests
- sorts
Spring roses are true wonders. They bloom when other plants are still dormant. If you offer the evergreen plant an ideal location, you can enjoy the flowers for several decades.
The lenten rose blooms when other plants are still sleeping
Table of Contents
Show all- origin
- growth
- blossom
- heyday
- fruit
- leaves
- use
- Is Lenten Rose Poisonous?
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- propagate lentil rose
- sowing
- Spring rose in the pot
- Water spring rose
- Fertilize spring rose properly
- Properly cut spring roses
- How do I plant correctly?
- hardy
- Diseases
- pests
- sorts
- conifers
- skimmia
- fan maples
- lung herbs
- Plant sections immediately so that roots do not dry out
- Water deeply so that rootstock is soaked four to six inches deep
- remove damaged leaves to prevent disease
- Wrap the planter in October with burlap, fleece or foil
- Place the bucket on a styrofoam plate (€35.50).
- water on frost-free days
- Spring Promise(R) Elly?: Especially early flowering variety with double flowers. Flower color pink.
- Winter Angels Anna's Red: Purple flowers. Flowers from December to April.
- Winter Angels Claudia: White flowers dotted with red to purple.
origin
Lenten Rose has the scientific name Helleborus x hybridus and is often referred to as Oriental Hellebore (Helleborus orientalis). This name is misleading as the spring rose is a hybrid of the Oriental Hellebore and other species in the genus.
The name of the parent species, Helleborus orientalis, indicates the natural range of the plant. Their area extends from south-eastern Europe across the Balkans to the Black Sea. It grows in Turkey and the Caucasus. In Germany, the oriental hellebore occurs partially in the wild. There are some wild-growing stocks in Grabfeld, Baden-Württemberg near Pforzheim and in Langenburg.
growth
Helleborus hybrids grow as evergreen perennials. Your growth is slow. They reach growth heights of up to 50 centimetres. Spring roses are considered to be particularly long-lived.
They have developed a special adaptation to the cold winter months. As soon as temperatures fall below freezing, the plants lower the cell pressure. This causes the leaves and stems to lay flat on the ground and look wilted. This mechanism protects the plants from freezing. As soon as the temperatures rise again, the plants straighten up.
The parent species, Helleborus orientalis, is a non-stem forming species. As the seedling grows, the main root dies. Every year, the plant develops fresh side shoots on the rootstock, which develop numerous fine roots. The old roots are thickened and fleshy. They are brown to black in color. This growth allows for propagation by division.
blossom
Spring roses develop terminal flowers, which are special from a botanical point of view. With them, the petals are not strikingly colored, but the sepals appear in different colors. As a result, they no longer assume the original protective function. They serve to attract potential pollinators. Each flower consists of five sepals and develops a diameter of up to ten centimetres. The sepals remain until the seeds have matured.
The bracts have evolved into short, cone-shaped floral organs that produce nectar. Lenten roses develop between five and 20 of these so-called nectaries, which provide food for the few insects at this time of year. The flower is otherwise unspecialized so that it is visited and pollinated by as many insects as possible. Some varieties cannot be pollinated because they form double flowers. The hanging flowers are typical of Helleborus species.
flower color
Their base is colored green. Lenten roses shine in different shades. The palette ranges from white to creamy yellow to pink and black-red. There are some varieties that develop white flowers with colored markings.
heyday
These plants open their flowers already in winter. Depending on the weather, the first flowers appear in February or earlier. After being fertilized, the petals turn green.
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fruit
Hellebore hybrids develop as many follicles as there are ovary fertilized. After successful pollination, nectaries and stamens fall off. When the seeds are fully mature, the follicles rupture along a preformed suture, releasing the seeds.
seed
The tiny seeds are black in color and have a shiny surface. Their shape is bean-shaped and elongated. They turn dull brown as the seed coat dries up. A pod contains between 10 and 20 seeds.
leaves
Lenten roses have leathery leaves that are basal. The leaf blade is fingered and consists of five to eleven leaf lobes. They are arranged in a fan-like manner and appear inverted ovate or lanceolate. Its edge is double sawn.
When the leaves sprout, they are light green in color. During the summer the color changes to a dark green. The old foliage dies off as soon as the young leaves appear.
use
Lenten rose's unusual flowering period makes it a decorative plant for spring flower beds. They are among the plants that herald the growing season. At this time, most of nature is still in hibernation. Lenten roses adorn prominent beds, which are dominated by typical summer flowers throughout the year.
Helleborus hybrids are also suitable for planting in containers that decorate balconies, terraces and entrance areas. Spring roses beautify interiors and window sills as cut flowers when the vase is in a cool place. You can extend the shelf life by slitting the sides of the stems at the bottom.
Ideal plant partners:
Is Lenten Rose Poisonous?
Lenten rose is considered to be highly toxic in all parts of the plant. It contains the heart-active saponin helleborin and protoanemonin. The concentration of toxins is highest in the rootstock. After consumption, various symptoms of poisoning can occur. The symptoms range from nausea and dizziness to diarrhea to inflammation of the oral mucosa and cardiac arrhythmias. Consuming large amounts leads to respiratory paralysis, which can be fatal.
Three mature seed pods are enough to cause severe symptoms of poisoning. The plant sap has skin-irritating effects. You should therefore only plant the plant with caution if pets or children are playing in your garden.
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Which location is suitable?
Lenten Roses prefer a half-shady location under large deciduous trees and shrubs. They can be planted in full sun if the soil moisture is sufficiently high. Once the plants have found the right location, they keep coming back for decades. The soil should not tend to become waterlogged.
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What soil does the plant need?
A fresh substrate that ensures high permeability is ideal. Lenten roses do well on very humus-rich loamy soil. If the soil is very light and sandy, incorporating Dolomite Lime, Bark Humus and Horn Shavings (€32.93) can improve structure and nutritional content. Crushed eggshells are recommended as an alternative to dolomite lime. Spring roses thrive when the soil is calcareous. Lenten roses also grow well in acidic soil.
propagate lentil rose
Mature plants can be propagated by division, but the yield of viable plants is low. Lenten roses then need a lot of time and good care so that they can grow back into stately plants. If you want to divide your plant, you should choose an overcast day in autumn. Spring is not suitable for this measure, since the plant blooms very early.
To avoid unnecessary injuries with this measure, you should tie the stems and leaves together with a ribbon. Cut out the largest possible root ball and dig it out. Pierce the center of the root ball with a digging fork. Use another pitchfork and carefully move both garden tools apart. This tears the rhizome open until two separate plants have emerged. If your lenten rose is a bit smaller, you can divide the rhizome with a knife.
Here's what to do after sharing:
sowing
It can take between three and four years for a plant to be in full bloom for the first time. If the plant has successfully developed fruit, you can propagate your lenten rose from seeds. These offspring are often less floriferous than their parent plants.
Collect the fruit as soon as it ripens. You can recognize ripe fruits by their yellow-green colour. At this point they will open easily, allowing you to free the seeds from their pods. Clean the seeds and let them dry. If you sow the seeds in the fall, they will begin to germinate in November.
Spring rose in the pot
Lenten roses are slow growers, but they can take up a lot of space over the course of their lives. If you want to cultivate the plant in a bucket, you should take the large amount of space into account. Rejuvenate the plant every two to three years so that lack of space does not stun its magnificent growth.
Choose a thick-walled container that offers sufficient protection against frost. Alternatively, you can wrap the tub in bubble wrap or garden fleece to keep the rootstock from freezing.
Use a mixture of potting soil and the highest possible proportion of humus as a substrate. You can also use potting soil with a small amount of peat. The spring rose is less suitable as a houseplant. It also prefers an outdoor location in a bucket.
Water spring rose
Lenten rose likes permanently moist conditions in the substrate. It survives short periods of drought, but reacts to this with a reduced number of flowers. Once the top layer of soil has dried, you should water the plant.
You can check the moisture in the substrate with the finger test. When the soil feels dry and crumbly, the spring rose needs fresh water. During the summer drought periods, you should check the moisture content several times a day. Spring roses tolerate water with small amounts of lime. Waterlogging should be avoided as it leads to root rot.
Fertilize spring rose properly
Helleborus hybrids are considered weak consumptive. You can fertilize occasionally to support their vitality. If the plant is about to flower, it will enjoy a compost application or fertilization with rock flour.(14.13€) Between February and May you can use a liquid fertilizer if necessary.
In autumn you can spread brushwood, bark mulch or withered leaves on the ground. This layer protects young plants from the cold and supplies the plant with nutrients in the following spring when the soil organisms have decomposed the material. If your spring rose grows on sandy soil, you can spread some algae lime on the substrate in autumn.
Properly cut spring roses
After the winter, withered leaves are removed. Proceed carefully with this care measure so that you do not damage the freshly sprouting parts of the plant. Brown or black leaves should be cut off immediately to prevent disease spread. After flowering, it is advisable to cut off the maturing infructescence.
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How do I plant correctly?
Lenten roses develop a strong rootstock that reaches deeper and deeper into the earth with age. Therefore, when transplanting, there is a risk of damaging many roots. In the new location, the plant has difficulty developing the stately growth that it showed in the old growth location. It takes a great deal of horticultural finesse for the spring rose to recover after transplanting.
hardy
Young specimens need winter protection. Add a layer of compost or bark mulch to the bottom. Mature spring roses are hardy. The early flowering species survive the winter without any problems. For older plants, mulching serves to supply nutrients in the coming spring.
When the thermometer drops below -15 degrees Celsius, the leaves die. They turn black and look unsightly. The plant does not cause any problems. It drives out again shortly before flowering. The plant must be watered on frost-free days, since the metabolism is not completely stopped even in winter.
How to protect potted plants:
Diseases
The winter bloomers rarely fall victim to the viral disease Black Death, which ends fatally. After infection, the veins on leaves and flowers turn black. Countermeasures are not known. To avoid spreading, you should remove the plant completely and dispose of it with household waste.
pests
Lenten roses are attacked by a number of pests that spread under certain conditions. The pests weaken the plants, so rapid action is required.
aphids
Lenten roses are often infested by aphids. The pests suck the sap from the leaves of the winter flowering plants. They prefer to spread on fresh leaves and young plants. Regularly wipe the aphids off the plant parts. Use a cloth soaked in washing-up liquid for this measure. Nettle stock strengthens the vitality of the plant and prevents the spread of aphids. In the event of an infestation, you can spray the entire plant with the brew.
root nematodes
If the plant tends to stunted growth, which does not decrease even after changing the care, root nematodes can be the cause. The microscopic nematodes suck nutrients from the fine roots so that they can no longer supply the plant. Combating the pests is difficult to carry out. Dispose of infested plants so that the pests cannot spread.
tips
Varieties with clearly defined characteristics are rarely found. Plants propagated generatively via seeds are predominantly offered on the market. You can only guess what traits they inherited from their parent plants. Therefore, you will always find new beauties without names.