General Description/History

Hellebores are another popular garden plant that has been adopted as cut flowers. The flowers are borne on very short stems, and have five sepals (a type of petal) surrounding a ring of small, cup-like nectaries. The sepals do not fall as the flower dies, but remain on the plant, sometimes for many months.

H. niger is either pure white, which turn pink with age, or a deep purple colour, while H. orientalis has many varieties, some of which are speckled and streaked in cream, green, purple or pink.

Hellebores are grown as a field crop. Most are grown in Victoria, NSW, and QLD.

What to look for

• Buy when flowers are 1/2 to fully open
• Avoid bunches with brown markings on the flowers.

Flower Care

1. Keep cool at all times.
2. Strip leaves from the lower half of each stem and wash stem ends thoroughly.
3. Recut at least 2 cm off each stem and place in water immediately.
4. Some bunches may have had the stem ends dipped in boiling water – make sure you cut these seared stem ends off.
5. Always use a preservative as this will help keep open flowers looking fresh.
6. Replace vase water with fresh preservative every day.
7. Misting flowers is a great idea as they can absorb water through the flowers and leaves.
8. Wilted flowers can be revived by soaking the whole bunch, including the flowers, in cold water overnight.

Interesting Facts about this Flower

The flower is used for winter decorations in Europe, particularly in Scandinavia.
In medieval times it was said to be good for breaking bad spells and curses and was often planted near the front door.

Botanical Name: Helleborus niger, H. orientalis

Common Names: Christmas rose, Hellebores

Stem Length: 20 to 40 cm

Country of Origin: Europe

Available Colours: Pink, Purple, White

Season: Winter,Spring

Availability: June,July,August,September,October,November