Growing a hellebore in a pot

Which varieties of hellebores are suitable for pot cultivation?

Potted, a hellebore should be chosen in a smaller size than those planted in the garden. Although they are robust, on a high balcony, they will be more exposed to winds that they do not appreciate. Varieties measuring 30 to 40 cm in height are therefore suitable.

Next, it’s all a matter of taste regarding the colour of the flower and the style of your little outdoor cocoon. The most original cultivars will be particularly highlighted on a balcony, so indulge yourself with atypical varieties such as anemone-flowered hellebores, or the incredible colours of oriental hellebores, which also offer superb double-flowered cultivars. The traditional Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger), small in size, is the perfect plant for small urban balconies, bringing a timeless elegance and infinite grace with its winter whiteness! Note that Hellebores ericsmithii and ballardiae are particularly floriferous.

Another crucial point is the exposure: this will also influence your choice of hellebore variety, as some can tolerate a bit more sun than others. Most need shade and are suitable for east, north, or even west-facing balconies if sufficiently protected from direct sunlight, such as hellebores nigercors or oriental hellebores.

Do you have a sunny balcony and don’t want to miss out on the pleasure of hellebores? Choose Helleborus niger, the famous Christmas Rose, which is a bit less sensitive to brightness, or even better, the Stern Hellebore (Helleborus sternii) and its various varieties.

→ For further reading, discover our selection of Hellebores: the sure values

Focus on the purity of Christmas Roses (Helleborus niger) or the fanciful anemone-flowered or double-flowered hellebores

What type of pot for my hellebore?

Hellebores are often found in charming little baskets or ready-made planters for Christmas, which are relatively shallow. This is misleading, as these plants require a minimum of space to accommodate their thick and deep roots. You can certainly keep them this way during the festive season, but opt for a deeper pot once flowering has finished if you want them to thrive. A balcony planter is therefore not the right container for our potted hellebores.

A pot height of 50 to 60 cm will give the hellebore the potential to develop its fleshy root system. If you plant your hellebore with another perennial or a small bush like Skimmia, choose a larger… and wider pot.

As for the material, a lovely terracotta pot is always ideal to ensure good air circulation due to its natural porosity. The natural elegance of the hellebore will certainly lead you to choose simple yet stylish pots.

A sufficiently deep pot is essential for your hellebore

Which substrate should be preferred?

Hellebores generally require fresh, well-drained, rich, and humus-bearing soil, except for Corsican and Madeiran hellebores, which are satisfied with poorer soil.

A good potting compost for containers and pots will do the trick, and if you can obtain some compost or leaf mould, add a bit to the planting and when you divide the plant.

Don’t forget to place a layer of gravel or clay balls a few centimetres at the bottom of the pot to facilitate drainage, which is essential for our potted plants.

Even for a small composition of Hellebore, take care with your planting by providing good compost and a layer of gravel

When and how to plant a hellebore in a pot?

When to proceed?

You can plant the hellebore either in spring or autumn, with the latter being the preferred time for better root establishment, thanks to autumn rains if your pot receives them.

Christmas Roses are often given during the festive season. If you receive a hellebore at this time of year, which is not ideal for planting, keep it in its pot, and in spring, repot it into a larger, especially deeper pot so that the hellebore has more substrate, thus more coolness during the summer months.

How to proceed?

• Start by moistening the root ball of the pot or young plant to rehydrate it
• Place a layer of clay balls or small gravel at the bottom of the pot
• If the roots are tangled, gently untangle them as much as possible
• Fill with potting soil to two-thirds of the pot and make a hole twice the size of the root ball
• Position the plant so that the collar is level with the potting soil
• Fill in with potting soil
• Lightly firm down and water generously

Helleborus x ballardiae ‘Maestro’

Exposure and location

Planting hellebores in pots has two main advantages: the ability to place your pot on a small table or high enough, or in large, deep window boxes! This way, the flowers of the hellebores – which tend to droop – are much more visible, allowing you to fully appreciate the beauty of their white, pink, purple-spotted, or greenish corollas…

Another benefit for these plants that dislike being moved is that you can change their location on the balcony or terrace as the seasons and sunlight change. The hellebore will appreciate being placed in maximum shade during the summer!

As for the exposure, as we have seen in the varieties of hellebores suitable for pot planting, generally you should not place it in direct sunlight (except for Helleborus x sternii), a light or partial shade is ideal, provided, for example, by the dappled shade of a small bush. Above all, protect your pot from cold winds.

Also consider the different associations of your pot for exposure!</caption]

Caring for a hellebore in a pot

Hellebores are easy perennials, requiring little maintenance when they thrive in their pot.

Regarding watering, they prefer soil that remains moist, but not waterlogged, as this can irreparably damage their thick roots. Therefore, do not place a saucer under the pot. Water regularly during the first year. In summer, the plant enters dormancy, so limit watering while ensuring the substrate does not dry out.

You can add a bit of organic fertiliser once a year in spring.

As with oriental hellebores and Christmas Roses planted in the ground, remove damaged or blackened leaves to make way for the buds that will appear close to the stump, allowing them to grow better. For your potted hellebores, cleaning up faded inflorescences is helpful at the end of spring to avoid exhausting the plant. Cut the flower stems down to the foliage.

After about four years, your hellebore will have developed well. You can then proceed with dividing the clump in early September when the plant is still in dormancy, creating a new pot. However, this operation can stress the hellebore, which often takes a good year to bloom again.