Anyone who has ever experienced the magic of white flowers in the midst of ice and snow will look out for the picturesque winter fairy tale of a Christmas rose every year. This hope is not disappointed, because the secret winter queen is 25 years old and older. The following portrait conveys what makes a Helleborus niger special and how the robust perennial is cared for.
Characteristic features in the profile
The Christmas rose not only impresses with its unorthodox flowering period. It also has a we alth of wonderful properties that underline its nimbus as a magical winter perennial. The following profile summarizes their characteristic features:
- Belonging to the plant genus Hellebore (Helleborus)
- Names of the species: Christmas rose, snow rose, black hellebore (Helleborus niger)
- Occurrence: Bavarian and Austrian Alps to the Balkans
- Herbaceous, bushy perennial with a life expectancy of up to 25 years
- Growth height: 10 to 25 cm, rarely up to 40 cm
- White or pink cup flowers up to 10 cm in diameter and a seductive scent
- Valuable insect pasture in late winter and spring
- Main flowering period: January to March, in mild locations November to May
- Long-stemmed, palmate, dark green leaves
- Hardy to -40 degrees Celsius (hardiness zone Z3)
- Very poisonous
Unfortunately, the high poison content makes it impossible to plant Christmas roses in the family garden. In addition to toxic saponins, the plant contains toxic cardiac toxins, which are primarily found in the roots. Snow roses are rarely found in the wild and are threatened with extinction. For this reason, all Helleborus niger are subject to nature conservation.
Royal flower beauty with modest demands
The quality of the location plays a central role in ensuring that the Christmas rose holds court in your garden. All further care measures follow this. This is what Helleborus niger really value:
- Partly shaded to sunny location
- Fresh, moist, permeable and above all calcareous soil
- Water regularly when dry
- Mulch from autumn to spring with mature compost or leaf mold
- Fertilize liquidly in the pot every 3 weeks from November to February
During the flowering period, please cut off wilted flower stems after putting on protective gloves. In addition, the Christmas rose does not receive any pruning. Over the years, a vigorous perennial will produce up to 100 flowers per season.
Christmas flowers – How to do it
The Christmas rose owes its name to a flowering period in the middle of the Christmas season. In order for the white to pink flowers to actually develop at the festival, bright and cool conditions are required. Place the perennial in the pot on a sunny windowsill at temperatures between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. In the well-heated living room under the Christmas tree, however, you will hope in vain for the winter blossom spectacle.
Tip
At least when it comes to the best planting time, Christmas roses go hand in hand with other perennials. Place a Helleborus niger in sunny soil in autumn so that it is well rooted before winter. If you miss this ideal date, the time window for planting opens again from mid-April to mid/end of May.
