Helleborus seeds - Germination time?

[Noirin]

I bought a packet of Helleborus seeds today. (They are on Thompson & Morgan's list of what to plant in September). I love Helleborus but they are very expensive to buy (here in Dublin anyway). When I read the instructions it said, "Germination is slow and can take up to 18 months". That seems very long, what is the experience of others? I'm afraid that in 18 months I will have forgotten what I planted.

[zazen999]

Aha,, that's why my 2 hellebore seeds have yet to show themselves.

I liberated them from a plant at an open garden a few months back. I was just going to pop the pot outside and if nothing came up by the spring, reuse the compost. I guess it would be better to transfer the whole pot of compost somewhere and label it so it doesn't get taken out if and when it arises.

[kentvegplot]

Yes, very slow. If you can, find a friend growing hellebores and get them to give you the little self-seeded plants that will pop up under an existing plant....it's quicker, and you know that plant has got a fighting chance.

[Flummery]

Mine come up underneath the hellebores - but of course, I've no idea how long they've taken to do it!

[chengjing]

I have bought 2 packets of seeds from T&M the last year and they never germinated. However seeds I collected some seeds from my plants they they germinated ok. Good luck m8.

[Noirin]

I think I'll plant them and just hope for the best. In future I'll read the instructions before I put seeds in my shopping basket. I'll also check the price, - they cost me €7.49!! The trouble is that I just get carried away when I go to the garden centre.

[Reks]

Hi,
how did u collect the seeds from your hellebore. Mine have lots of flowers from christmas time. Do I just leave them on the plant until the seeds matures? when do I know the seed has matured, so I can collect them.

[Alice]

Hellebores will only germinate from fresh seed. Sometimes packet seeds are not all that fresh. Mine just sow themselves and pop up so I don't know how long they take.

You could label your seeds so you don't forget what they are and find them a nice corner outside. I hope they work for you as they were pretty pricey.

[Pumpkin Becki]

I'm a cheapskate and wait for my hellebores to have babies in the slate-chip path underneath, then I transplant the little treasures to pots and let them grow on a bit before deciding where to put them. I left one in a pot at the lottie last year (ready for the garden at the new house). When I rediscovered it this spring, it had the prettiest flower, quite unlike any of my parent plants. I love the way they cross so easily.

[Flummery]

I also let mine do their own thing. I'm not the sort of obsessive weeder who goes out with a hoe and chops everything off so they get a good chance to grow! Crosses are a delight. I bought 3 very dark purple hellebores in flower the first 3 years we were here - one with a paler inside with 'freckles'. From these I've had dark purples, plum, freckled, pale pink, dark pink and cream. Not a bad'un amongst them!

[Pumpkin Becki]

no such thing as a bad hellebore is there Flum!

[Flummery]

Haven't found one yet Becki - and heaven knows I've grown enough and passed enough on. I really love them in spring.

[Topcat36]

Wow didn't know they took that long to germinate, i got some about 2 years ago when we first moved in 6 i think, first year plants had lovely leaves no flowers this year they are huge and still keep flowering . They are in my top 10 of favourite flowers, tried growing them in my old garden and had no luck with them so am pleased they are doing so good in this garden. Havn't looked to see if i have any babies tho.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Havn't looked to see if i have any babies tho.

Oh they will, they seem to particularly like self seeding into course stuff like bark chippings (or slate chippings in my case).

[Topcat36]

Great will have a look later, and theres bark around where they are planted.