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Drooping Hellebore

GardenSpursGardenSpurs Posts: 70
in Problem solving
I purchased this hellebore and it has been in its pot for a few weeks and just recently has drooped quite significantly.  it is quite damp through rainfall rather than me watering it

Any thoughts as to what may be causing this?  I am going to plant it in the ground to see if it recovers


Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    They do that if they are frosted, but recover when they thaw out.
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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Rain is not usually enough to moisten compost in pots as the foliage and stem provide too much cover and not enough raindrops get in.    When it is frost free, dunk the whole pot in a bucket of water until no further air bubbles appear.   Let it drain and then tuck it in a sheltered corner till you can plant it in the ground.   Dunk it again just before panting and water afterwards.

    Frost will make it wilt too but it will recover if it's in a good state to start with.  
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
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  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    edited January 2021
    Another vote for chilled or frosted.
    I used to get quite alarmed when some of ours did that, I always thought this time they are goners, some are worse than others. But as Punkdoc said they do recover.
    If the ground is hard or frozen even making a bit of a square hole to sit the pot in until the soil is more workable will help protect the roots a bit just to be on the safe side.

    I think the ones like H.niger are worse for it than the later Orientalis, although their newer leaves can go the same.
    I find some hybrids and the niger types look the most sorry for themselves which yours looks more like with the dark shiney leaf..



  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    It looks dry to me too. As @Obelixx says they will dry out in pots even if it rains. The last couple of summers have made all mine wilt in the summer, even in shade or partial shade, in a place I can't easily water. The orientalis hybrids have all come through well and are flowering like mad now. Other forms like x ericsmithii aren't liking it and will probably have to go.
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