Hellebore Care

Hellebore prefers consistently moist but well-drained soil. If the soil gets too dry, the plant might rot. Check the soil moisture with your finger: if the top 5-10 cm of soil is dry, it's time to water. Provide plenty of water during spring and fall when Hellebore is actively growing and ease up during summer.

Late winter is the best time for pruning a Hellebore. As soon as new growth appears, old leaves can be cut away. Slice them right at the base. If you leave old growth for too long, it'll become hard to trim it away.

A balanced fertilizer with an NPK number of 20-20-20 will provide Hellebore with all macronutrients for better growth. Dissolve ½ teaspoons of water-double fertilizer in 1 gallon of water and apply it to wet soil every two weeks. Reduce feeding by half in winter. An important tip: apply fertilizer to moist soil to prevent root burn.

Hellebore prefers partial light during the summer but requires more sunlight in winter. An ideal planting location is underneath a deciduous tree where the plant will be shaded in summer and exposed to full sun in the fall.

Hellebore benefits from being planted in soil improved with plenty of humus in the form of leaf mold and compost.

There are two ways to propagate Hellebores: 

1. By division 

It's the easiest way: just dig up and divide clumps. Best done in early autumn.

 2. From seed 

Collect the seeds from ripe pods as sow in mid- to late summer outdoors. Stored seeds keep in warmth until transplanted in early spring into pots.

Hellebores do well with night-time temperatures of 40-45°F (4-7°C) and 60-65°F (15-18°C) during the day.

Select a container with a drainage hole. Hellebore spreads from 12 to 18 inches, so select a pot at least 12 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep to provide plenty of space for the fleshy roots.

According to a legend, witches used Hellebore for the awaiting of demons. Historians believe that Hellebore was a plant responsible for the death of Alexander the Great.