Helleborus × hybridus 'Pretty Ellen Red'
hellebore 'Pretty Ellen Red'
A semi-evergreen, clump-forming perennial to 35cm tall with dark green, divided leaves. Upright flower stems bear deep reddish purple flowers in late winter and early spring.
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Neutral, AlkalineColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Red Purple | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | |||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter | Red Purple | Green |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H7Botanical details
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Semi evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy
- Potentially harmful
- Harmful if eaten, skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten, skin irritant. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
- Genus
Helleborus can be rhizomatous, herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennials forming a clump of pedate basal leaves, or evergreen with erect, leafy stems. Large, bowl-shaped flowers are borne in loose clusters in late winter or spring
- Name status
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in neutral to alkaline soils that are moist, fertile and humus-rich. Partial shade is ideal but can tolerate full sun. Provide shelter from strong, cold winds. Mulch annually in autumn. See hellebore cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by division of large clumps, after flowering in early spring, or in early autumn. Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame as soon as ripe; plants produced from seed may be variable.
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wildlife gardens
- Flower borders and beds
- Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Pruning
Remove faded or damaged foliage as the flowers appear
Pests
May be susceptible to hellebore aphid, slugs and snails
Diseases
May be susceptible to hellebore leaf spot and virus diseases such as hellebore black death
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.