How to grow hellebores and the best varieties

Hellebores are the most glamorous of late-winter flowers that also provide a welcome source of nectar for early emerging bees. There are now a huge range of colours and types to choose from, from the deepest red to shades of silver and pink. Breeding has developed more outward facing flowers that stand above the foliage too, so the full glory of the blooms can be seen.

Which? Gardening magazine grew a range of lovely varieties to see which would give us the best, long-lasting display. 

Key facts

PLANT TYPE Hardy perennial

POSITION Partial shade

SOIL  Any neutral soil, moist but free-draining 

How to grow hellebores: month by month

Best hellebore varieties

‘Anna's Red’

Height x spread: 40 x 40cm

Where to buy: Hardy's Plants, Crocus

This is an impressively reliable variety. Though the flowers did tend to face down, they were held proud of the rich dark green foliage and were a welcome burst of colour. We had 16 weeks of flowering during our trial but in previous years ‘Anna’s Red’ lasted even longer.

Peak flowering: Jan-Apr

‘Charmer’

Height x spread: 30 x 30cm 

Where to buy:  Ashwood Nurseries

 ‘Charmer’ gave us neat clumps of blooms held over rich green foliage for 14 weeks. The flowers were large and more outward turned than ‘Anna’s Red’. This variety had a very tidy habit, forming compact plants with healthy silvery-veined leaves making it ideal for pots or the front of a border. 

Peak flowering: Jan-Apr 

‘Double Ellen Purple’ 

Height x spread: 60 x 50cm 

Where to buy: Ballyroberts; Tortworth Plants

This variety produced lots of very pretty, ruffled double flowers in a dusty pink rather than purple. The plants were very healthy and the flowers held on tall stems over the foliage making a good display which lasted for an impressive 20 weeks, the longest flowering variety in this trial.  

Peak flowering: Dec-Apr 

‘Madame Lemmonier’

Height x spread:  35 x 50cm 

Where to buy: Cowells Garden Centre 

The huge, plate-like flowers on this variety, the largest flowers in the trial, really stood out and showed off the advances in breeding for hellebores. It was a short and very compact plant, but the blooms were held proud of the neat foliage and made a welcome splash of colour for 15 weeks. 

Peak flowering: Feb-Apr 

‘Walbertons Rosemary’

Height x spread:  40 x 40cm 

Where to buy: Hardy's Plants, Cowell's Garden Centre

This RHS AGM hellebore produced plenty of big, bright flowers and well deserved its Best Buy.  The outer petals kept their colour well into the spring and the tall plant kept a neat shape. The bees adored the open cupped flowers that were held facing outwards for the most part and lasted for 16 weeks. 

Peak flowering: Jan-Apr 

Full testing results for hellebores

Full testing results for hellebores

Which members can log in now to see the full results and which are our Best Buy varieties. If you're not a member, join Which? to get instant access.

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Caring for your plants

Planting

Plant in rich, well-drained soil that doesn’t dry out too much. Hellebores don’t like acidic soil and will need neutral or alkaline conditions. Hellebores prefer dappled shade, but can be planted in sun where we’ve found they’re more likely to reflower in summer. 

Help your plants with a recommended soil improver

Caring for your plants

Keep plants well-watered during the first year, and once established water during long dry spells. 

Feed plants with a general fertiliser, such as Growmore, in spring. Cut away old foliage as flower buds appear, especially if it is diseased. 

Deadhead once the colour has faded and seed heads have formed. 

Make things easier with a Best Buy watering can

Propagating

Split large clumps of hellebores to create new plants in early spring, just after flowering. You might find it easiest to tie the leaves together before digging around and under the roots. Use a pair of garden forks or even a large knife to gently separate the rootball. Plant each new section immediately into damp soil and keep well-watered until the new plants establish. 

Identify your plants with Best Buy plastic-free labels

Pests and diseases 

Black spot

The fungal disease black spot is the most common problem. Remove diseased leaves when you see them. 

Aphids

Aphids can colonise flowers and should be removed as soon as they’re seen as they can spread viruses. 

Vine weevils

Adult vine weevils eat notches out of the leaves, and grubs eat the roots. If plants fail to thrive, check around the roots for white grubs and apply a biological control.

Read more about vine weevils

Hellebore black death

Typical symptoms include stunting, distortion and black streaking, and netting-like patterns to affected leaves. In the UK, the most seriously affected hellebore is the oriental hellebore (Helleborus x hybridus), although similar symptoms have been seen on other species. Usually, emerging new spring growth is affected and damage worsens as the season unfolds. Take care not to confuse symptoms with the more general blackening of botrytis or the (dark) fungal leaf-spotting seen commonly on hellebores.

Unfortunately hellebore black death is a serious disease which can devastate plants. It’s thought to be caused by a virus, so is difficult to control, other than by promptly destroying infected plants. It’s also known to occur in mainland Europe and North America. The virus is currently thought to be transmitted by aphids, although this has yet to be confirmed.

How we test hellebores

In autumn we selected and ordered 23 varieties of hellebores. We planted three of each variety at Capel Manor, our trial garden in north London. The plants we grew included the two existing Best Buys that were still available, and other varieties that either weren’t included in our previous trial or that have been introduced since then. We gave them a balanced feed in the spring and cut away any dead or diseased leaves. We assessed the plants for flowering and disease through the winter  and early spring.