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How to grow hellebores and the best varieties
Hellebores are beautiful perennials for early colour, often blooming before anything else in the garden. Discover our best varieties and tips for how to grow them.
Ceri studied horticulture at the University of Reading and RHS Wisley. She edits Which? Gardening magazine and our online gardening content.
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.
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Key facts
- Plant type - Hardy perennial
- Position - Partial shade
- Soil - Any neutral soil, moist but free-draining
How to grow hellebores: month by month
| January | February | March | April | May | June |
| FLOWERING | FLOWERING | FLOWERING/FEED | FLOWERING | DEADHEAD | |
| July | August | September | October | November | December |
| CUT AWAY OLD LEAVES |
Planting hellebores
It doesn't matter if the soil is acidic or alkaline, as long as it is full of nutrients and is free draining. In the wild, hellebores are often found growing on limestone, because these soils are usually richer in nutrients. Always prepare the soil before planting by adding lots of organic matter in the form of old manure, leaf mould, etc. Spent mushroom compost is excellent. Mulch around your plants after planting.
They do grow well under deciduous trees and shrubs, so they get sun when flowering in February and March, but are in shade when the tree and shrub leaves return. The deciduous trees and shrubs also tend to filter the strong, cold winds and offer protection from late frosts, both of which can damage the flowers when they open in mild spells. You can plant them at any time of year.
They look good next to other early flowerers, such as Anemone blanda, aconites, Cyclamen coum, hepaticas and snowdrops are all good bed partners for hellebores. For later in the summer, try hostas, peonies or hardy geraniums, such as ‘Ann Folkard’ and ‘Rozanne’.
Help your plants with a recommended soil improver
Growing hellebores in pots
Hellebores also make excellent container plants. Grow them in a Best Buy compost for containers and add a Best Buy controlled-release feed each year
Best hellebore varieties
‘Anna's Red’
Height x spread: 40 x 40cm
Where to buy: 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: Cowell's Garden Centre
‘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: Crocus
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
‘Walberton's Rosemary’
Height x spread: 40 x 40cm
Where to buy: Crocus
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
| Variety name | Overall rating | Height x spread (cm) | Flowering duration | Flower impact | Display | Foliage | Habit | Direction of flowers | Pests and disease |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Buy 'Anna's Red' | 40 x 40 | ||||||||
| Best Buy 'Charmer' | 30 x 30 | ||||||||
| Best Buy 'Double Ellen Purple' | 60 x 50 | ***** | |||||||
| Best Buy 'Walberton's Rosemary' | 40 x 40 | ||||||||
| Worth a look 'Harvington picotee' | 35 x 45 | ||||||||
| Worth a look 'Harvington white' | 40 x 40 | ||||||||
| Worth a look 'Molly’s White' | 40 x 50 |
The more stars the better. OVERALL RATING Ignores price and is based on: Flowering duration 30%, Flower impact 20%, Display 25%, Foliage 10%, Habit 5%, Direction of flowers 5%, Pests and diseases 5% Flowering impact is an assessment of the combined effect of colour, shape and quantity of flower when plants were at their peak.
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.
| Variety name | Overall rating | Height x spread (cm) | Flowering duration | Flower impact | Display | Foliage | Habit | Direction of flowers | Pests and disease |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'Anna's Red' | Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations. Unlock tableFirst month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time Already a member? Log in | ||||||||
| 'Charmer' | |||||||||
| 'Double Ellen Purple' | |||||||||
| 'Harvington Picotee' | |||||||||
| 'Harvington White' | |||||||||
| 'Molly's White' | |||||||||
| 'Pippa's Purple' | |||||||||
| 'Single Silver Backed Pink Shades' | |||||||||
| 'Walberton's Rosemary' | |||||||||
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations.
Unlock tableFirst month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time
Already a member? Log in
The more stars the better. OVERALL RATING Ignores price and is based on: Flowering duration 30%, Flower impact 20%, Display 25%, Foliage 10%, Habit 5%, Direction of flowers 5%, Pests and diseases 5% Flowering impact is an assessment of the combined effect of colour, shape and quantity of flower when plants were at their peak.
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.
Growing hellebores
Caring for your plants
Keep plants well-watered during the first year, and once established water during long dry spells.
Feed with Growmore at the end of August or September, when the leaves tend to grow flatter to the ground.
Deadhead once the colour has faded and seed heads have formed.
Make things easier with one of the best watering cans from our tests
When to cut back hellebores
Cut off all the leaves in December before plants start to flower. Be careful not to damage the flower buds, though. It not only allows you to see the flowers more clearly, but also reduce problems with leaf spot.
Propagating
Split large clumps of hellebores to create new plants in early spring, just after flowering, or in September.
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.
Hellebore problems
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.