Hellibore seedlings - when will they flower?

[sweetcorn]

I have managed to get several seedlings from underneath my lovely hellibore - I don't know what variety it is, but it's a beautiful pink. I realise the new plants may not be exactly the same as the parent, but am wondering how long it will be before they flower? They are quite big seedlings with at least 2 good sized leaves. Will I get any flowers next year?

[Glutton4...]

They may flower next year. But don't worry if they die back after transplanting, they will probably come back and flower the following year.

[Tam]

I have found that hellebores take from three to five years to flower from seed. Some years ago I did a fair number of hybridisations of hellebores and found that the odd unusual colour certainly made up for the more usual "run-of-the-mill" types.

[Lovage]

If grown on in decent compost and in sheltered conditions they often flower in the second year.
All helebores are good in my book but most seedlings tend to run downhill to muted pinks - for the brightest colours hand pollination is essential

[Pumpkin Becki]

I like to pop my hellebore babies into a flower pot (usually four or five seedlings in a 5 or 6" pot) and let them grow-on in a hidden corner of the garden for a year or two (they don't tend to flower in this time), then I plant them out.

I have a lot that are shades of pink with various degrees of spotting, but my pride and joy is my baby white one with spotting and a picote edge, which flowered for the first time last spring.

[vicky]

I've found they take 3 years to flower. I grow in trays, then into small pots for one year then into the garden when a reasonable size

[Flummery]

I've had them in fower the third year. It's worth the wait. 10 years ago I paid £7.99 for a particularly splendid one in bloom. Same again the next year and the next. Since then I've been populating the village with their sons and daughter - wonderful, they are.

[Fernw]

Hellebores are one of my favourite flowers and I usually pot up any seedlings and put them in the cold frame and then into the garden when they're a bit bigger. Generally it's at least 3 years before they flower but agree they're worth the wait.

[sweetcorn]

Thanks for all your advice! I will continue to nurture my seedlings for the next couple of years or so until they're ready to go out in the big bad world and show themselves in their true colours!!!!

[Flummery]

They don't need too much nurture. I stick them in a pot by the side of the shed and leave them till they're big enough to plant out.