Lenten Rose

The late winter blooms of Lenten rose (Helleborus x hybridus) are a colorful addition to a shade garden.
Joey Williamson, ©2012 HGIC, Clemson Extension

Lenten roses (Helleborus x hybridus) make a colorful addition to the shade garden or woodland area. They flower in winter and early spring when little else is blooming. These evergreen perennials grow well in USDA cold hardiness zones 4 to 9.

Native to Europe and western Asia, Lenten roses are in the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family. In some parts of the world, they flower during the season of Lent; thus, the common name, Lenten rose.

Landscape Features

Lenten rose is an evergreen, 15- to 18-inch-tall perennial groundcover with leathery, dark-green, shiny foliage. Their new growth generally appears in early winter along with the 3- to 4-inch nodding, cup-shaped flowers that quickly emerge through the mulch or snow layer.

The petals of the Lenten rose flower are actually sepals and do not drop readily as with other flowers. The sepals last for two to three months. Darker purple blooms often fade to a pastel pink over the 8- to 10-week bloom and fruiting period. As the flower turns into a fruit, seed production begins, and mature seeds are dropped beneath the canopy of foliage.

The flowers are most commonly white, pink, or lavender, but breeders have developed crosses with shades of pink, plum, green, dark purple, red, and yellow. Most flowers are bicolored.

Culture

Light: Lenten roses prefer to be planted under deciduous trees to receive sunlight in winter, their growing season, and shade in summer, their dormant season. Plant Lenten roses where they will receive morning or dappled sun in the summer.

Soil: Lenten roses will grow in clayey, sandy, or loamy soils. In their native habitat, they grow in soils with a neutral to alkaline pH but will grow well in slightly acidic soils. Lenten roses prefer soil enriched with organic matter, such as pine bark soil conditioner or compost. They will not tolerate wet soils.

Water: Once established, Lenten roses are drought tolerant. Apply water during times of drought when the foliage droops.

Fertilizing: Lenten roses have low fertilizer requirements. An all-purpose slow-release fertilizer can be used as needed. Otherwise, the yearly organic matter from deciduous tree leaves or the addition of compost will suffice.

Pruning: Removing old leaves from plants is recommended to reduce the likelihood of fungus development. Prune back old leaves when the flowers emerge in winter. Cut the stems of the leaves as close to the center of the plant as possible. Cutting leaves back in the fall is not recommended. Do not prune all the leaves off at any other time.

Removing the older dark green leaves allows the new leaves and flowers to be visible. These leaves were removed in January.
Ginger E. Long, © 2024 HGIC, Clemson University

Lenten rose plant after last year’s leaves were removed. The new leaves emerge along with the flowers.
Ginger E. Long, © 2024 HGIC, Clemson University

Landscape Uses

Lenten roses have coarse-textured, dissected foliage, which combines especially well with the delicate foliage of ferns, the more rounded foliage of hostas, and smaller-leaved perennials and shrubs. Its evergreen foliage provides winter interest when shade-loving perennials are dormant.

Lenten roses are a very early pollen source for bees and other pollinators when little else is blooming in late winter. The flowers are not specialized, allowing many insects to pollinate them. The downward nodding flowers protect the pollen from the elements.

Lenten roses are usually undesirable to deer and rabbits since all parts of the plant are toxic.

Lenten roses (Helleborus x hybridus) edge a stone walkway. The older plants are blooming. The 2-year-old seedlings in front will flower in the following years.
Joey Williamson, ©2012 HGIC, Clemson Extension

Lenten roses (Helleborus x hybridus) are an early pollen source for honeybees and native bees.
Ginger E. Long, © 2024 HGIC, Clemson University

Propagation & Division

After flowering, Lenten roses produce seeds that fall to the ground around the plant. The seeds germinate the following winter. The seedlings can be allowed to grow where they sprouted, or they can be dug and moved to other parts of the garden. Most seedlings take at least two years to reach flowering size.

Seeds can be collected from plants in the spring and then sown immediately into containers with well-drained potting soil. The seed must be sown when fresh. Leave the containers outdoors year-round. The seeds will germinate as the temperatures get colder in late fall or early winter. Transplant small plants into the garden when they reach a suitable size. It generally takes two to three years for a plant to reach flowering size.

Plants with the same flower color can be grouped together in the garden where their offspring will most likely match the parent plant. For example, group all white Lenten roses or all purple ones together. Space the color groups at least 30 feet apart to avoid cross-pollination. As the seedlings bloom, the flowers can be evaluated for the preferred colors and traits.

The prolific seeding of Lenten roses may not be welcome in all gardens. Reseeding can be prevented by cutting back the flowers after they have bloomed when they are starting to form seeds.

Lenten rose plants can be divided if necessary. The best time to divide plants is when they are actively growing in the late fall to early winter. Plants can be dug up and divided using a sharp knife.

First-year seedlings appear near parent plants of Lenten rose (Helleborus x hybridus).
Joey Williamson, ©2012 HGIC, Clemson Extension

Cut back Lenten rose flowers at this stage before the seeds have formed to prevent new seedlings.
Ginger E. Long, © 2024 HGIC, Clemson University

Seeds were formed and dispersed by this flower.
Ginger E. Long, © 2024 HGIC, Clemson University

Problems

This Lenten rose has downy mildew (Peronospora pulveracea).
Xiao Yang, © 2024, Plant Problem Clinic, Clemson University

While generally considered trouble-free, Lenten roses are susceptible to some insects and disease problems.

The whitish-green hellebore aphid can be found on new growth and flowers. Aphid populations cluster on the tops or undersides of leaves, stems, or flowers. They produce honeydew, which leads to sooty mold. Spray insecticidal soap if necessary to control. For more information on using insecticidal soaps in the garden, see HGIC 2771, Insecticidal Soaps for Garden Pest Control.

Aphids can transmit a deadly virus called black death (Helleborus net necrosis virus, HeNNV). It was found in Upstate South Carolina in 2017 and diagnosed by the Clemson University Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. Symptoms included black streaks that follow leaf margins or veins and yellow mottling of the leaves.

Other common insect pests include slugs, leaf miners, and snails. They cause minor damage.

Lenten roses are susceptible to downy mildew (Peronospora pulveracea). Signs of downy mildew include brown to black speckles on foliage and flowers. Turn the leaf over to observe fungal spores. Black Spot is another leaf disease that commonly occurs in wet conditions. Leaves will have rounded black lesions. Remove and destroy the affected foliage.

To reduce the spread of disease, use drip irrigation to reduce moisture on the foliage and cut back and remove old foliage to prevent fungal spores from splashing up onto new foliage. When planting, space plants 15 inches or more apart to allow airflow between plants.

Crown rot and gray mold diseases can also occur.

Series and Cultivars

The breeding of Lenten roses has greatly increased in recent years. New flower colors and patterns have been produced. Flowers may be single, double, semi-double, or anemone. Single flowers have one row of sepals, typically five, while fully double flowers have multiple layers of sepals. Semi-double flowers fall in between. Anemone-type flowers have a shorter row of petals in the center of the flower, like a ruffled crown.

Some varieties have picotee flowers with a contrasting color along the edge. Many have speckled or spotted flowers with darker marks in many patterns on the sepals. Flowers with flares have a contrasting color in the center. Darkened veins can be found in many Lenten rose flowers.

Hybridizers have trademarked new varieties and offer them in series. Many nurseries grow their plants in greenhouses so the flowers can be hand-pollinated in isolation, without insects cross-pollinating them.

The Honeymoon® series has cultivars of single flowers in shades of apricot, black, maroon, white, yellow, wine red, and pink. The flower patterns in this series include spotted, picotee, flares, veining, and speckling.

The Wedding Party® series has cultivars of fully double flowers in shades of white, apricot, dark purple, light to dark shades of pink, and yellow. The flower patterns in this series include spotted, picotee, and veining.

The Winter Jewels® series includes both single and double flowers in a wide range of colors. The flower patterns include speckled, picotee, and veined. This series also contains anemone-type flowers.

Lenten rose ‘Apricot Blush’ (Helleborus x hybridus ‘Apricot Blush’ Winter Jewels®) has peachy yellow flowers with red veining.

Honeymoon™ ‘Romantic Getaway’ Lenten rose (Helleborus hybridus ‘Romantic Getaway’ Honeymoon™) has flowers with a deep red center and white edge.
Ginger E. Long, © 2024 HGIC, Clemson University

The double flowers of Lenten rose ‘Maid of Honor’ (Helleborus x hybridus ‘Maid of Honor’ Wedding Party®) are up to 3 inches across and have speckles of dark pink.
Ginger E. Long, © 2024 HGIC, Clemson University

Lenten rose ‘Apricot Blush’ (Helleborus x hybridus ‘Apricot Blush’ Winter Jewels®) has peachy yellow flowers with red veining.
Ginger E. Long, © 2024 HGIC, Clemson University

Lenten roses are also sold as seed strains. These strains are bred for an array of colors and flower patterns, strong stems, and improved foliage. Often, these are sold as small plants that have not bloomed yet.

Brandywine™ Strain is a mix of single, semi-double, and doubles. Flower colors include purples, whites, yellows, pink, and bicolor.

Pine Knot Select Strain is a mix of single and semi-double flowers in many colors and patterns.

Royal Heritage™ Strain is a mix of single flowers in shades of white, red, rose, maroon, and dark purple. It was hybridized in South Carolina.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Royal Heritage’ is a seed strain that includes plants with deep purple flowers.
Karen Russ, ©2012 HGIC, Clemson Extension

Originally published 03/12