Lenten Rose (Hellebore)
Zones: 4 to 9
Light: Shade
Bloom Time: Late Winter to Early Summer
Height: 12″ to 18″
Spread: 18″ to 24″
Hellebores are low-growing, clump-forming, evergreen perennials that start blooming in the winter, earning it the nickname ‘Christmas rose’. Even in Canada, their flowers can be seen peeping out from the snow in February.
Once they start blooming, they have the added benefit that the blooms last for quite some time. In my South Carolina garden, the first flowers appear in January and are still going strong in April.
The only maintenance I do, is to tidy the appearance by removing any dead leaves.
The plants can be a little gangly in the summer. Planting them with something that comes out a little later and also likes the shade (like Hostas) will help provide some distraction.
Find more information about growing Hellebores HERE.
This post was originally published on June 17, 2020 but was updated with new content on June 18, 2022.