- origin and distribution
- use
- appearance and growth
- leaves
- flowers and flowering time
- fruit
- toxicity
- Which location is suitable?
- floor
- Plant spring roses properly
- Water spring roses
- Fertilize spring roses properly
- Prune spring roses properly
- propagate lentil roses
- hibernate
- diseases and pests
- species and varieties
The Lenten Rose (bot. Helleborus orientalis) - also known as Spring Christmas Rose or Oriental Hellebore - is a colorful spring bloomer. In contrast to the related Christmas rose, the species not only flowers in white, but also in many other strong colors - and often already at the end of winter, when all other garden plants are still in deep hibernation. Once established, the lenten rose needs little care.
Lenten roses usually bloom in soft pink or white
Table of Contents
Show all- origin and distribution
- use
- appearance and growth
- leaves
- flowers and flowering time
- fruit
- toxicity
- Which location is suitable?
- floor
- Plant spring roses properly
- Water spring roses
- Fertilize spring roses properly
- Prune spring roses properly
- propagate lentil roses
- hibernate
- diseases and pests
- species and varieties
- Dig a sufficiently large planting hole.
- This should be twice the size of the root ball.
- Keep a planting distance of at least 15 centimeters.
- Loosen the soil well.
- Add mature garden compost and leaf humus to the excavation.
- Plant the spring roses.
- Press the soil down well and water the plants.
- For newly planted spring roses, remove the flower stalks.
- This way the perennials grow faster.
- Mulch the root area to keep the soil moist.
- 'Blue Metallic Lady': growth height of up to 40 centimetres, impressive growth width of up to 60 centimetres, purple-red flowers with a metallic shine
- 'Double Aubergine': growth height up to 60 centimetres, filled, dark violet flowers
- 'Favorit': very robust variety that does not flower until March, height of growth up to 30 centimetres
- 'Frühlingstanz': growth height up to 60 centimetres, multicolored pink and yellow patterned flowers
- 'Yellow Butterfly': growth height up to 60 centimetres, yellow flowers with red grain
- 'Party Dress Ewelina': growth height of up to 40 centimetres, filled, white flowers with a striking red dotted grain inside
- 'Pink Lady': growth height up to 40 centimetres, simple, bright pink flowers
- 'Red Lady': growth height up to 40 centimetres, simple, dark red flowers
- 'Rock'n'Roll': growth height of up to 60 centimetres, double flowers with conspicuously dotted, pink-red petals
- 'Tango': growth height of up to 60 centimetres, double flowers with pink and white dotted petals and a yellow centre
- 'White Lady': growth height up to 40 centimetres, white-greenish flowers
- 'White Spotted Lady': growth height up to 40 centimetres, white flowers heavily spotted with red
origin and distribution
The wild lenten rose or oriental hellebore (bot. Helleborus orientalis) has its natural distribution area in the Near East between Turkey and the Caucasus. Here the pretty early bloomers grow primarily on the edges of forests and in clearings. The species is closely related to the other Helleborus genera, such as the Christmas rose, with which they also interbreed. The resulting (and still forming) hybrids, known as Helleborus orientalis hybrids, are popular ornamental plants in many gardens.
use
As a very early flowering species, spring roses come into their own when you combine different colored flowering varieties with each other or when you bring Helleborus together with shrubs that flower just as early, early perennials (e.g. lungwort) or bulbs of the same kind. Wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa), snowdrop (Galanthus), elfflower (Epimedium) or sweet violet (Viola) are particularly recommended. Furthermore, later gaps in the perennial bed can be avoided if you plant the spring roses together with ferns and ornamental grasses as well as later flowering perennials - for example the cranesbill (geranium).
Helleborus is not only suitable for cultivation in the garden bed, but can also be cultivated in a bucket on the balcony or terrace.
appearance and growth
In contrast to the related Christmas rose, spring roses are much more long-lived: in a suitable location, the perennials, which only grow to a height of around 50 centimetres, can be up to 40 years old. The evergreen plants grow very slowly and gradually form bushy, loose clumps. The species goes wild very easily, with the different varieties mixing with each other, resulting in new combinations. Lenten roses, like all Helleborus species, belong to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae).
leaves
The long-stalked, leathery leaves are basal on the rhizomes of the strong root system. The hardy, dark green foliage is on the plant all year round, with the old leaves dying off after the new ones have sprouted.
flowers and flowering time
The mostly simple bowl-shaped flowers of the lenten rose have a wide range of colors: Varieties with monochromatic white, cream-colored, yellow, pink to dark red flowers as well as speckled, dotted or striped varieties are available on the market. Furthermore, there are now breeds with double flowers. The flower cups, measuring up to ten centimeters in diameter, sit on loose, branched shoots and characteristically hang slightly downwards. Depending on the weather, they appear as early as February and can often show their splendor until the end of April. Like hydrangeas, the five petals often turn green as they fade.
fruit
After flowering, the pods that are typical of the buttercup family form and contain seeds that are ripe in early summer. If possible, do not cut off faded shoots, because lenten roses will sow themselves in suitable locations. Due to their rather sluggish growth, the plants do not grow rampant, but once planted in the garden, they often come back for decades. However, the seedlings are not true to the variety, so that the resulting plants show different flower colors.
toxicity
Like all Hellebore plants, the pretty Lenten Roses are unfortunately highly poisonous. Even the consumption of small amounts of the plant can cause severe symptoms of poisoning, which is why a doctor should be consulted immediately in such a case. The saponin and the typical glycosides, Helleborein and Hellebrin, are particularly toxic. Escaping plant sap irritates the skin of sensitive people, which is why you should always wear gloves and eye protection when pruning.
Incidentally, the plant owes its German name "hellebore" to the habit, originating from earlier times, of drying the rhizomes, powdering them and using them as a snuff. Incidentally, during the Middle Ages, Helleborus species such as the Lenten Rose were also in demand as medicinal plants, which is not recommended nowadays due to their toxicity.
Which location is suitable?
In the right location, spring roses come back all by themselves, even without further care measures. The plants feel most comfortable in places that resemble their natural habitats. Therefore, if possible, place them in the light semi-shade under larger deciduous trees or shrubs or at the edge of woody plantations. However, it must not be too dark there, otherwise the distinctive flower will not appear. In principle, Helleborus also feels at home in full sun, as long as the soil is sufficiently moist.
floor
Plant spring roses in well-drained, fresh and humus-rich loamy soil. This can easily be calcareous, because just like the related Christmas roses, Helleborus hybrids are very tolerant of lime. The robust late winter bloomers usually also tolerate an acidic pH value very well. Furthermore, the growing space requirements of the plants with age must be taken into account, as these gradually spread over time.
Plant spring roses properly
Lenten roses are best planted in spring after they have bloomed. Proceed as follows:
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Water spring roses
Lenten roses always love slightly moist soil and need it if they are to bloom profusely again next spring. The heralds of spring can cope with drought for a short time, but then often produce fewer flowers. So make sure you have an adequate water supply, especially during dry periods in the summer months. However, do not overdo it, because excessive moisture or even waterlogging will result in root rot on the lenten rose. For this reason, the soil must be well drained so that rain and irrigation water can seep away quickly.
Fertilize spring roses properly
Lenten roses do not need fertilization on humus-rich soil, which is why adding compost in the spring is completely sufficient.
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Prune spring roses properly
Pruning is basically not necessary, but you should remove the old foliage in late autumn. The reason for this are fungal diseases such as black spot disease, which tends to attack the leaves of the lenten rose in the cold season. In order to curb self-sowing, it can also make sense to cut back the faded shoots.
propagate lentil roses
Lenten roses can be easily propagated both by seed and by division, although the offspring are not true to the variety. So let yourself be surprised at the flower colors that will develop in future generations.
Do the division in late summer or early fall, choosing a larger plant that is already well established in its location for this purpose. Dig them out and make sure that each section has at least two shoots. Be sure to wear gloves to avoid coming into contact with the plant saps.
Seeds must be stratified before germination-i.e. H. go through a cold period - and must not be covered with soil when sowing. Lenten roses belong to the light germs.
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hibernate
Spring roses are absolutely hardy and - with the exception of specimens cultivated in pots - do not need any special winter protection. In autumn you can only mulch the plants again and thus provide an additional source of nutrients. In rainy winters, spread brushwood will protect plants from excessive moisture. At temperatures from minus 15 degrees Celsius, the leaves often die off, but sprout again in spring.
diseases and pests
With regard to diseases and pests, the lenten rose is quite insensitive. The only problem in autumn or winter can be the so-called black spot disease, which manifests itself as brownish to black spots on the leaves. Therefore, cut off the foliage as a preventive measure. Furthermore, aphids like to eat the winter bloomers, but they can be quickly driven away with a targeted shower or the occasional spraying with stinging nettle broth.
tips
Lenten roses are site-loyal and usually react ungraciously to being transplanted. Therefore, when dividing the perennial, make sure that it goes back into the ground just as deep as it was before - and not deeper.
species and varieties
Basically, the commercially available Lentenrose hybrids are no longer such, but crosses of different Helleborus species. Hardly any variety is like the other, and new varieties are constantly emerging - for example as a result of the plants self-sowing in their own garden. The most beautiful varieties are, for example, the following: