Here are some images from the nursery taken yesterday, starting with hellebore seed sown last June. Click on the blog link to see all the images. They key is gathering fresh seed…even month old seed has a greatly reduced viability. The seed are sown almost immediately after harvest and kept in a cold frame with night temperatures near freezing. Germination occurs in January.
The seedlings are first transplanted into cell packs, then into 1 quart pots by May. It takes us just over 2.5 years from seed sowing to flower for most of the Helleborus x hybridus.
Here are some hellebore images snapped yesterday. Here is Helleborus ‘Cotton Candy’…a stunning seed strain.
Followed by Helleborus ‘Red Sapphire’
Helleborus ‘Painted Doubles‘ are always amazing.
and Helleborus ‘Peppermint Ice’
Helleborus ‘Onyx Odyssey’
and finally, Helleborus ‘Rose Quartz’. All the images above are hybrids from Ernie and Mariettta O’Byrne, and we are thrilled to be able to offer their introductions. Remember, only 4 weeks remain before our first winter open nursery and garden for 2015. We hope to see you for our hellebore (and other plants) extravaganza!
Will these grow in NW Florida? I’ve never seen them here.
We rate most hellebores as Zone 8b, and you’re probably 8b/9a. Your climate certainly isn’t ideal, but if you like to experiment, they could be worth a try.
Thank you! I love your new hellebores.
Nice job with the Hellabores Tony!!! Do you grow any Physoplexis Comosa? I would attend your open house but it would mean a flight, too and from, and the airlines are really cracking down on what you can bring on an airplane! Hope all goes well!!!!!!!!!
Not sure why we haven’t tried physoplexis yet…will add it to our list. The airlines don’t mind at all that you bring plants on board…except perhaps bayonet yuccas.
One of my all time favorite tough durable beautiful perennials for CT gardens, and also very functional and useful in container gardens. Love the photos of the blooms on this post – and cool to see how it is done from seeds.
my H. thibetanus that I got from Herronswood in 2003 did not bloom in 2014, just lots of foliage. How long can this plant survive? When will we see it again available? Also, pachyphragma macrophullum seeds itself like a weed here(Mi) but is still a great shade plant!