Care of the Helleborus Orientalis

Select a site that receives full or partial shade for planting your Helleborus orientalis. This species establishes itself beneath deciduous trees, taking advantage of the shade afforded by the foliage in the spring, summer and fall and the absence of leaves in winter, which permits needed sunlight to reach the plant. This makes it an ideal choice for woodland and shade gardens, or as a ground cover under trees.

Choose a spot in your landscape that features fertile, damp organic soil for your Helleborus orientalis. If such a site is unavailable, plant these members of the Ranunculaceae family in such soils as sandy and clay ones, where they will still develop due to the plant’s adaptable nature. While these plants excel in moist locations, they do have some tolerance for drought once they take hold.

Plant your Helleborus orientalis in soil that ranges from being somewhat alkaline to slightly acidic for best results.

Increase the potential for new specimens of Helleborus orientalis to crop up next to your old ones by providing them with a generous amount of mulch during the fall months. In the springtime, new seedlings will grow up through the mulch from the seeds produced from the previous year. Once these seedlings appear, remove them and transplant them to other suitable sites throughout your landscape.

Protect your Helleborus orientalis plants from biting winds during winter by finding a site that has limited exposure to the weather.