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Hellebore - what now?

CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
in Plants
Sideways picture sorry. I was just wondering what I should do with this now. The flowers are all worn out, so should I cut them off, stalks and all?

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Is that a sterile variety? There doesn't appear to be seed pods.  I think the faded blooms still look quite good, but cut them off if you are fed up with them.
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    Hmm not sure, it looked like this when it was freshly flowering so the yellow bits have gone.  It looks ok for now I guess but I wasn't sure, not grown these before. 
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    It depends  if you want seeds. If not cut off the old flower stems.
  • AthelasAthelas Posts: 946
    If you’re taking them off, cut carefully from the base — I always end up inadvertently taking off some new shoots
    Cambridgeshire, UK
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I take off the flowers and some of the stem. They can  be quite sharp!
    As @fidgetbones says, if there aren't seed pods, they won't produce any seed, but if they did, you can leave those if you want them to seed around. They often cross and you can end up with a lot of wishy washy looking muddy colours though.
    Depends what you like. If you like how they look just now, you can leave them  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Crazybeelady It looks like one of the Rodney Davey group of Hellebores which are sterile. Possibly Penny's Pink? Are the leaves marbled? If so cut back all flowered stems to the base. You may only be left with a few leaves. This variety needs a little more sun than orientalis, only remove leaves as they die instead of cutting all the old leaves back in late winter. All hellebores are hungry plants.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    I've got the label, I'll have to dig it out of the shed and double check what type it is and act accordingly! Thanks all 
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