Acaulescent Hellebore Hybrids

The most commonly known acaulescent Hellebore species name is Helleborus orientalis, the Lenten Rose. As mentioned in previous articles in this series, these are actually complex hybrids involving an array of acaulescent species. These plants are correctly called Helleborus x hybridus. As a rule, Helleborus x hybridus are generally much more vigorous than the straight species.

Each plant of Helleborus x hybridus makes a 2' wide by 1' tall clump of thick evergreen hand shaped leaves. In late winter, the 12"-18" tall flower spikes emerge from the underground rhizome. As the flower spike tops the leaves (which flatten out in the winter), it branches, producing a cluster of silver-dollar-sized flowers. Actually, what we call flowers are not petals, but a modified calyx. This accounts for the seeming longevity (up to 3 months) of the hellebore "flowers". We recommend waiting to remove the old foliage until just before the flowers emerge for a better floral show. The foliage serves to protect the developing flower buds and to keep them cool and therefore delayed. If the foliage is removed too early in the season, the developing flower buds may break too early and be susceptible to damage by late spring hard freezes.

It is the flower colors of Helleborus x hybridus that enthrall plant collectors, as each one is dramatically different. The basic colors range from black-purple to red-purple, to white, pink, and even yellow.... all depending on the parentage of the species. The patterns on the blooms add even more fun, with breeders working to bring different colored speckles both to the center and edge of the flowers. Hellebore breeders are also working on flower shape... some opting for cupped flowers, while others work towards breeding large, flat, open flowers. Some breeders prefer up-facing flowers, while others prefer the natural bell-like form, where the colors are only seen on the back of the flowers. The latest creations are double flowered and anemone-flowered forms, where a second row of petals makes an attractive collar inside the large calyx.

Acaulescent Hellebore Hybrids

Purchasing named varieties of hellebores has always been a difficult task for gardeners. Most of the early hellebore work was done overseas by folks such as the late Helen Ballard of Germany, Elizabeth Strangman of Washfield Nursery, John Massey and the Ashwood Nursery breeders of the UK, and the late Eric Smith, also from the UK. US breeding has made great advances thanks to the work of Glenn Withey and Charles Price of Washington, Dan Hinkley of Washington, Ernie and Marietta O.Byrne of Oregon, David Culp of Pennsylvania, and Dick and Judith Tyler of Virginia.

When a hellebore breeder would develop a nice variety, everyone would want a division. While hellebores can be divided, the process is never going to be viable on a large commercial basis. This prompts both high prices, and unscrupulous nurserymen selling seedlings as "true cultivars". In fact, each seedling is different, and only in well-developed seed strains does the flower color of the seedling come close to matching that of the parent.

Only in the past few years have more growers started to sell hellebores by known flower color. This is done either by divisions or tissue culture, where all the plants are identical, or by growing and flowering a large batch of seedlings and then sorting them by color. Obviously, the time involved in this process (2-3 years from seed to flower) will be reflected in the price. For a slightly lower cost, you can buy unflowered seedlings, which thanks to better inbreeding, good strains should have a higher percentage of colors similar to their parents. Tissue culture is a fairly recent breakthrough with Helleborus x hybridus, but one destined to change the availability of specially-selected hellebores as more and more selections go under the knife. When purchasing a tissue-cultured hellebore, you need to remember offspring will still not come true from seed. If you want to maintain the color integrity of a particular clump, be sure to remove the developing seed to keep them from sprouting around your parent plant.

For years, it was assumed that Helleborus niger was so far out of the hellebore family tree that it could not be crossed with any of the other acaulescent species. That all changed in 2000 with the introduction of Helleborus 'Snow White' from Japan, the first cross of Helleborus niger and Helleborus x hybridus. While 'Snow White' is sterile for us, and the crossing of Helleborus niger and other acaulescent species remains difficult, there are other similar Hellebore hybrids in the pipeline, which add more colors to the range of this early-flowering hybrid group.

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