Helleborus × hybridus

RHS Plant Profile
hybrid Lenten rose

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hybrid Lenten rose RHS
hybrid Lenten rose RHS
hybrid Lenten rose visionspictures.com
hybrid Lenten rose visionspictures.com

Other common names

Lenten rose

Synonyms

Helleborus × hybridus mixed, Helleborus orientalis hort. hybrid, Helleborus orientalis hort. mixed, Helleborus orientalis misapplied, Helleborus orientalis misapplied

RHS Recommended

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
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A semi-evergreen perennial with divided, glossy, dark green leaves and branched stems bearing bowl-shaped flowers in a range of colours, including white, pink, green, yellow, and purple, sometimes spotted within

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or East–facing or South–facing or North–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H7

RHS Recommended: for People & Planet

RHS Recommended Plants for People & Planet

For Water Resilience

Plants for Flood Resilience

Plants that can help manage heavy rain by catching rainfall, slowing surface run-off, encouraging water into the soil or taking it up through their roots, contributing to flood resilient gardens.

Plants for both Wet and Dry Conditions

Plants that cope with changing soil moisture, including wet winters and extended summer dry. Once established, they grow as wet and dry conditions alternate.

For Temperature Resilience

Plants for Temperature Cooling

Plants that cool air temperature by providing shade, transpiration, or reflection to reduce heat impact on people, animals, soil or other ground surface.

Plants for Wind Shelter

Plants with dense canopies often grown as a tall thick hedge or grouping can block wind and shelter gardens, buildings and people.

For Carbon Storage

Plants for Carbon Storage

Plants that can take up carbon (CO₂) through photosynthesis and store it within the plant or deposit it by their roots into the soil.

For Biodiversity

Plants for Pollinators

Plants that have flowering properties (pollen and/or nectar) that are particularly beneficial for pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Growing conditions for maximum benefit

This plant will provide the maximum benefits if it is healthy and allowed to grow to maturity

For the Environment

  • For Wet & Dry Conditions

For Bio-Diversity

  • Plants for Pollinators

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Ranunculaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Semi evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Potentially harmful
Harmful if eaten; skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten; skin irritant. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus
Helleborus can be rhizomatous, herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennials forming a clump of pedate basal leaves, or evergreen with erect, leafy stems. Large, bowl-shaped flowers are borne in loose clusters in late winter or spring
Name Status
Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Thrives in neutral to alkaline soils that are moist, fertile and humus-rich. Partial shade is ideal but can tolerate full sun. Provide shelter from strong, cold winds. mulch annually in autumn

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Rock garden
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Remove faded or damaged foliage as the flowers appear

Pests

May be susceptible to hellebore aphid, hellebore leaf miner and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to hellebore leaf spot and hellebore black death