Helleborus orientalis ('HLR 140') SP CHARLOTTE^®

Hellebore (Lenten rose) is not a new plant to Czech and Slovak gardens. I remember those flowering stems that surprisingly pushed through the snow in late winter and I kept asking grandma how come that a plant can flower while there is still snow on the ground. These evergreen perennials are still very popular, mainly thanks to newly hybridized varieties with fantastic flowers. Spring Promise^® series was developed and bred by Josef Heuger in Germany, and consists of very attractive varieties of large flowers of various shapes and colours.

Charllotte^® is another Lenten rose from Spring Promise^® series. It makes large, up to 5cm across flowers with rich dotting on white to pale pink petals. Their colour deepens as the weather turns warmer in spring, and flower from mid January for about 4 months. Stems are strong and upright, 35-40 cm tall. Leaves are leathery, deep green, palmately divided into 5 leaflets. SP Charlotte^® was patented under PP21,526 in 2010.

Hellebore likes heavy, evenly moist, neutral to alkaline, rich in humus soil in dappled shade or filtered sun. This hybrid will prefer at least half a day with direct sunlight. Fertilizing will increase flowering and help the leaves remain strong and nice throughout the winter. Grow it somewhere near your house entrance or close to the window you look out of frequently so that you can enjoy the plant when it starts flowering since at that time the weather outside is not yet ideal for walking around the garden. The flowers can cheer up a number of grey and dull days of late winter therefore thumbs up for hellebore! Hardy to min. -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 28-11-2016