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Helleborus × sternii

Stern's hybrid hellebore

RHS Plant Shop from £19.99 Sold by 18 nurseries

  • Other common names Stern's hybrid hellebore

  • Family Ranunculaceae

  • 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

  • Details H. x sternii is an evergreen perennial, to 35cm, with purple, biennial stems bearing leaves with three green, pale-veined leaflets. Nodding, creamy-green flowers, suffused with pinkish-purple and 3-5cm in width, are borne in open clusters from late winter to mid-spring

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Clump-forming

  • Toxicity Ingestion may cause severe discomfort, skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling

  • 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)

    H4

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect South-facing or North-facing or West-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Loam

    Loam

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained

  • SoilChalk, Clay, Loam

  • pHAlkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 0.1-0.5 metres

  • Ultimate spread 0.1-0.5 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 2-5 years

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. See hellebore cultivation

Propagation Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe, or by division in late spring after flowering

Suggested planting locations and garden types Underplanting of Roses and Shrubs Cut Flowers Flower borders and beds Cottage & Informal Garden

How to care

Pruning Remove faded or damaged foliage as the flowers appear

Pests May be affected by hellebore aphid and snails

Diseases May be affected by hellebore black death, hellebore leaf spot and a virus

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RHS Plants Shop

Helleborus × sternii

Stern's hybrid hellebore

Buy from £19.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £19.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

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