Is this hellebore diseased?
gumneck 7A Virginia
4 years ago
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My first Hellebores
Comments (27)Rouge - thanks for steering me to this thread, all helpful & interesting information! And those were some nice looking gift-plants; how are they faring now, a month later? I've just discovered the Hellebores today, and have been enjoying learning about them in these forums all morning. I haven't tried tracking down a place to buy them in my area (central TX) yet, but hope I can find some when the shade garden I'm planning is ready for planting. Sooo, when IS the optimal time to put hellebores in the ground? And on a tangential note, reading about christinmk's off-season H. bloomers reminded me of my confused bougainvilleas -- I have five large ones of different colors, and a few of them kept blooming all last winter in our warm plant house. It was enjoyable and lovely at the time, but since I moved them back into the open sunshine this spring, they have barely put off a handful of blossoms each. Curious!...See MoreGrowing season for hellebores?
Comments (2)Yes, different hellebore species can produce growth at different times. But this is not what you are seeing :-) Your hellebores (according to the photo and your description) are ALL x hybridus -- the difference in growth patterns is most likely due to the age difference and maybe also to planting times. Helleborus x hybridus will typically start producing new foliar growth in late winter/early spring, around the same time it flowers (just slightly later). Many hellebore gardeners remove the old season foliage just before flowering because a) it looks pretty ratty, b) can harbor fungal diseases, and c) allows the flowers to be seen unobscured. However, the plant can produce new leaf growth at any time - often you will see this happening in fall in response to cooler temps. You will often see some sporadic flowering at this time also. I'd guess the young plants experienced more damage simply because of their tender age AND more tender foliage:-) Who knows - they might even have been greenhouse grown! They'll toughen up after a season or two in the garden....See MoreSick Hellebore....
Comments (3)Dear summer99, I can not open your pictures, but all my H. foetidus did the same rotting / diappearing act. Very disappointing. We had an exceptionally wet summer here in PA. I had collected the seeds and sprinkled them around so I hope they do their thing....See Morehellebore leaves turned black
Comments (3)Can you post a photo? Hellebores are prone to a number of fungal issues but each presents a bit differently. And I don't want to alarm you but there is also a virus known as 'hellebore black death". Or it could be something as benign as sooty mold or poor drainage. Just no way to tell without a photo to confirm....See Moregumneck 7A Virginia
4 years ago
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)