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Hellebore seedlings

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  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @punkdoc That is interesting. Any idea why? Are the colours less likely to be plum and sterile forms are the result?
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I think it is because there has been inter species breeding, which always produces sterile hybrids.
    I always remember Zedonks, from my school biology!
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They do take a good while to flower from seed. I don't often move seedlings, and they're usually a reasonable size if I do, but I do as @Palustris describes re handling carefully.  I haven't noticed too much problem with moisture after moving, but I tend to move them into the site they're going into, rather than pots, and it's probably easier if they're slightly bigger anyway. They have to manage wet conditions here.
    They're also pretty easy to divide up, so you can always try that if you have a large clump    :)

    I only grow dark ones or whites. The dark one tends to come pretty true, and not cross, although I've found one by the shed which is a bit dodgy so it might be getting shoved into the front garden. 

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    So far I have not found any sterille ones in this garden, but then we have not really gone out of our way to buy in the more recherche ones. Way beyond my wallet!
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    H. Anna’s Red is an inter species hybrid, and is sterile.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
     @punkdoc Oh I see yes, that is one from the Rodney Davey Group with marbled leaves.
    I have three of these no seedlings at all. The leaves are lovely but they like more sun than I realised. They also hate a wet soil as I have also found out. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
    @GardenerSuze - I wonder if they are likely to be purple then if that is the case. Interesting and helpful if they did.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited March 2023
    When I forst started with Hellebores, I planted white and yellow in one border and pink and purple in another.  They bred reasonable pure.  I have now mixed them up.

    I noticed to today an area of lawn bordering the hellebores that has more seedlings than grass.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Of course Anna's red is named for Anna Pavord, the wonderful garden writer.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @alfharris8 Yes it is more than likely that they will be plum/purple. However you never know you might get a good plant. The breeders choose which plants they cross so they have a head start on finding a special plant. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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