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Christmas roses
The Ellebori are perennial plants, with rhizomatous root, widespread in nature in the Italian and European flora; there are not many species, on the other hand there are some cultivars, with particularly large or showy-colored flowers. The common name Rose of Christmas derives from the fact that a good part of the species, in case of favorable climate, bloom in December-January, producing inflorescences that are very reminiscent of the flowers of botanical roses, like large white dog roses.
From the fleshy rhizome some leaves are produced - often only two - with a long erect, palmate petiole, of a beautiful bright dark green color. In winter between the leaves there are some stems that carry the inflorescences, consisting of a tuft of small pistillated flowers, subtended by five large sepals, white, cream, purple. The inflorescences can be single, or bloom in groups on briefly branched stems, which give rise to a fairly large semi-shrub structure.
The Ellebori have greater development during the cooler period of the year, therefore it is not infrequent that the plants lose the aerial part in July and August, and develop new leaves starting from the end of the summer, up to spring. They are fairly widespread plants in the Italian flora, in the pre-Alpine and Apennine areas; unfortunately they are a little less common in gardens, where they remain quite difficult to cultivate. Their characteristic of developing in particular during the cold months makes them particularly interesting for those gardens where one of the few notes of color would appear in an otherwise gray garden.
How to cultivate the Helleborus
These plants are quite difficult to cultivate in Italy, in particular because they behave in the opposite way to most plants commonly cultivated in the garden; in reality it is enough to follow some simple trick, and our hellebore will develop better from year to year.
Christmas roses are plants originating from mountainous and hilly areas, and do not excessively like the heat; for this reason it is good to cultivate them in a semi-shaded area, where, especially in the warm months, they enjoy refreshment from direct sunlight. If placed in a very sunny place in summer, or even in spring, they will force us to water very regularly and abundantly, and in any case the sun and heat could ruin the rhizomes, making them unable to produce new vegetation.
Then we choose a semi-shaded, or shaded area; in general, places near a small wall are preferred - for example - or under the foliage of tall shrubs.
It is fundamental to choose a good soil with an alkaline pH, deep and rich in organic matter; if possible every year, in autumn, we spread around the plants some granular fertilizer, or manure, to improve the mineral salt content of the soil.
Although they are plants that like a cool and humid climate, persistent conditions of waterlogged soil, they can lead to the rotting of rhizomes, for this reason it is good to cultivate the hellebores in a fairly well drained soil, and devoid of water stagnation.
As we said, they are plants that are prevalent in the cool and cold months of the year; therefore we will have to expect a rich and luxuriant vegetation starting from September-October, until April May; in the remaining months the hellebore plants can also enter a period of vegetative rest, completely losing the aerial part. In this case, as soon as the leaves dissolve, we can suspend the watering, except in the case of a very prolonged drought; we will resume them towards the end of August, or the beginning of September, when the climate returns to be fresh.
The root system of this plant is quite delicate, so it is advisable to avoid moving the hellebores, instead we recommend leaving the plants undisturbed in a corner of the garden, where they can also create large spots.
Hellebores and humidity
These plants are used to an undergrowth climate, wet and cool; generally in the periods of greater development of the plants our garden is already naturally damp and fresh, thanks to the rains that naturally fall in autumn and spring. It is fundamental to intervene with watering in late summer, when the climate is still dry, and in cases of spring or autumn drought, as the hellebores do not develop if humidity is not high.
Then we will begin to water the plants starting from the end of August or the beginning of September, in order to favor the development of new shoots; we will continue to water regularly only when the soil is dry, and only when the season is dry: often it is not necessary to provide watering in winter, as the Italian climate is naturally fresh and humid.
Some species lose their foliage when spring arrives, others maintain it; in any case it is good to avoid that the climate around the rhizomes becomes dry and dry. So even in spring and summer it is good to leave the plants in the shade, and in case of prolonged drought, increase the environmental humidity by vaporizing demineralized water around the plant.
To increase the availability of water and to best simulate the conditions of the undergrowth, it is quite useful to mulch the ground near the Hellebore plants with barks, leaves or straw. In fact, these materials retain moisture in the upper layers of the substrate, preventing it from completely drying.
A poisonous plant
In ancient times the rhizomes of Elleboro were used by folk medicine, as emetics, as cardiotonic, as a powerful purgative. The whole plant, and in particular the rhizomatous roots, is highly toxic; even small doses can quickly cause cardiac arrest, resulting in death. For this reason the Ellebori are no longer used, in any way, in folk medicine.
Hellebores were also used in herbal medicine, such as cardiotonics, since it contains substances similar to those present in digital; unfortunately the active ingredients contained in these plants are poorly tolerated by man, and therefore the hellebores are no longer used even in herbal medicine.
Instead, they are used in homeopathy, in very small doses, to improve states of depression and prostration, or as hypotensive, and to combat various types of pain.
