For a long time, our ancestors believed that the hellebore growing near the house would protect against magic and the attack of dark forces. Later, it began to be equated to a miraculous plant that helps overcome many ailments, can cleanse the body and even helps to deal with the problems of excess weight.
The hellebore, the care of which is possible even for an amateur gardener, blooms early and is very beautiful. For this it is also called the "Christmas rose" or "Christ's rose." From the article you will learn what kind of plant hellebore, its description and everything about it.
Did you know? With the help of a hellebore, skinny people can normalize their body weight by gaining the necessary weight.
The hellebore: a description of the plant
In height, the flower grows up to 50 cm. The rhizome is thick and short, and the stem is weakly branched. Basal foliage can be leathery, long-petiolate, finger-dissected or stoplike. Cup-shaped hellebore flowers are formed on the stem on a long stem from January to the end. What is mistaken for flower petals is sepals, and the first were transformed into nectaries during evolution. “Rose of Christ” is replete with colors - shades of white, yellow, pink, purple, violet and even ink, so the hellebore looks very impressive among the snow-covered garden. There are also two-colored varieties. Flowers are found both with a smooth surface and with a terry. 
Thanks to its early blooming, the garden has been very loved by many gardeners, because after a long cold and colorless winter period, it is so pleasant to contemplate our site, decorated with bright flowers. The hellebore, in addition to its special property to bloom earlier than most other flowers, has some other advantages, so it is impossible not to say about the high winter hardiness and drought resistance.
Important! Those who wish to grow hellebore in their garden should be extremely careful, as it is very poisonous, like all plants of the buttercup family!
Where is the best place to plant hellebore?
Since the hellebore grows best in shady areas, it should be planted under shrubs, trees, rocky gardens and rock gardens. The flower grows in sunny areas, for example, along the paths, it is only necessary to be attentive to watering so that it does not suffer from severe drought. Under the crowns of garden trees, the hellebore grows into a dense shrub, forming large clumps of 70 stems each. And after flowering, such a plant remains the original decoration of the garden from spring to late autumn. If your plans include garden paths and curbs, remember that the hellebore grows slowly and grows longerI. To achieve the expected effect, you will have to purchase more than ten plants. When planting a hellebore, consider the distance between the holes - 40 centimeters.
Did you know? The hellebore is called the “rose of Christ” because according to one of the legends it was discovered by the Magi next to the shed where Jesus Christ was born. It was from that time that frost-trees bloom in the south in the middle of winter.
Growing hellebore
In fact, growing a hellebore is not at all difficult, but its subtleties are present, as with other buttercups.
How and when to plant hellebore?
At one place, the hellebore bushes quietly grow up to ten years, and it is very critical to transplanting. Therefore, the place should be chosen with great responsibility. The most suitable soil for it is wet, loose, drained clay with a neutral reaction. The most impressive hellebore looks when planted in small groups. When flowering, it forms a small island in the middle of a snowy or dull sleeping garden. The hellebore, which is planted in April and September, does not oblige you to provide him with scrupulous care, like other decorative or delicate flowers planted in the open field.
Did you know? In the Middle Ages, it was thought that hellebore protects from witches and witchcraft.
Holes for planting the hellebore are prepared in the size of 30 cm³ and are located at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other. This is necessary to account for the distance with the further growth of bushes. Half of the pit must be filled with compost. Lower the rhizome into the pit, holding the bush with one hand, and sprinkle it on top of the ground, tamp and pour. Three weeks often and plenty of water hellebore.
Reproduction hellebore
The frostbite multiplies vegetatively and generatively, but the most commonly used method is the seed one. Seeds are sown as soon as they are harvested after ripening. As a rule, this occurs at the end of June. The hellebore is sown to a depth of 15 mm in loose, moist and humus soil. The first shoots appear in March next year. After the seedlings grow, one or two pairs of leaves appear. After that, they need to dive into a flower bed, which is located in the penumbra. There the hellebore will grow up another two or three years. Flowers begin to appear when the hellebore has reached the age of three, while planting and caring for it were made in a permanent place. Replant the plant in April or September.
Important! Reproduction of hellebore smelly occurs self-sowing.
Like other garden flowers, hellebore can be propagated and bush division. After the flower has blossomed, in spring, five-year-old bushes should be dug out and divided into several parts. Treat slices with crushed coal and spread on the holes, which should be prepared in advance. In the spring, black hellebore is propagated in this way, and in the fall it is better to do it with the hellebore east.Did you know? There is confirmed evidence that in Russia the hellebore was harvested for export as early as the 17th century.
How to care for hellebore?
In order for the hellebore to grow beautiful, thick and bushy, care for it should not be super-complex, it is enough to remove all old and dead leaves. This way you prevent infection of young leaves and buds with fungal blotch. New leaves appear on the freezer only after flowering. After the flowers wither, the soil around the hellebore need to be mulled with peat and compost. In the heat, the plant must be watered regularly, often loosening and weeding the soil around it. Feed the hellebore should be bonemeal and mineral fertilizers twice per season.
Did you know? The Corsican variety is considered the most beautiful hellebore. He reaches a height of one meter.
Pests and diseases of hellebore
Dangerous pests for hellebore are gastropods of various kinds - these are slugs and snails, which gnaw off its leaves, as well as aphids, caterpillars of hoppy fine-tails and mice. Poisoned baits are used against the latter, which are laid out in the places of their alleged appearance. Slugs and snails are harvested by hands, and insects are destroyed by insecticides. Against aphids, Antitlin and Biotlin treatment helps, and Aktellik against caterpillars.
Did you know? The first mention of the hellebore in the books dates from the XVI century in connection with its use as a "chemical weapon". Today hellebore is not used in traditional medicine.
Dangerous diseases of hellebore are false powdery mildew, ring spots and anthracnose. Spotting spreads aphid, this is the main reason that we should not allow its presence in your garden. Parts of plants that are damaged by spotting must be cut and burned, and after the hellebore bushes and the whole area should be treated with fungicides.
To understand that a plant is affected by anthracnose, one can see black-brown spots with a barely visible ring pattern appearing on the foliage. Affected leaves must be removed, and the whole plant is treated with preparations with copper.
The hellebore, damaged by downy mildew, ceases to give new leaves, but those that have already appeared are deformed and covered with dark spots on the upper side of the leaves, and on the lower side - with a gray bloom. The affected parts of hellebore need to be cut and processed with Previkur or copper oxychloride. In fact, hellebore is quite resistant to most pests, which means that you should not worry much about the plant.
Important! This plant is most susceptible to pests and diseases if improper transplantation, careless maintenance and systematic violation of growing conditions, for example, hellebore has been planted on a plot where the soil is too acidic. To avoid trapping, take a sample of the soil and pour it onto dark glass. Water the soil with vinegar. If the foam is too large, it means that the soil in your area is alkaline, if not very much, then the soil is neutral, but if it is absent, the area needs to be fed with fluff lime, dolomite flour or wood ash.
