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They may be popular evergreen perennials, but knowing when to cut back hellebores is important for keeping these plants in tip-top shape. These woodland shade-lovers deserve a place in every garden. Whether you grow the Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis), the Christmas rose (Helleborus niger), or one of the many hybrids (Helleborus x hybridus), this article shares all the information you need for properly pruning hellebores.
Hellebores 101
Hellebores are shade plants I simply won’t garden without. I have an entire colony of Lenten roses and various hybrid hellebores, in addition to a stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus). If I lived in a slightly warmer climate, I would also add the Corsican hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius) to my must-grow list, but alas, it is only hardy to Zone 6 and I live in Zone 5. Maybe someday.
Hellebores are deer-proof, hardy to low temperatures, and free from pests, save for the occasional snail or slug. Depending on the species or variety, they bloom in shades of pink, purple, yellow, near-black, white, and bicolors (there are even species with green flowers – H. foetidus, I’m looking at you!). Some plants have speckled petals while others offer petals in solid colors.
Christmas roses bloom in—you guessed it—late December or January, while Lenten roses bloom in very early spring, around the time of Lent. Even if the flowers are subjected to frosts and freezes, they bounce right back as soon as the sun shines again. Their unusual bloom time is one of many reasons hellebores are so special. This perennial is also tolerant of different soil types, though it prefers locations rich in organic matter with well-drained soil.
Why knowing when to cut back hellebores is important
You may wonder why it matters when you prune hellebores. As it turns out, pruning hellebores at the proper time of year results in a more visually appealing display. The main reason for pruning hellebores is to remove the old foliage to make way for the emergence of new foliage and flower stalks from the center of the plant.
Knowing when to cut back hellebores every year can also reduce the occasional bout of leaf spot or other fungal diseases that may overwinter on old foliage.
Tools for pruning
There are a few tools you’ll need to successfully prune hellebore plants. I like a good pair of gloves, especially if the weather is cold when you prune (which it will be!). You’ll also need a pair of sharp pruning shears. I prefer bypass pruners to anvil types because they make a cleaner cut and are better for trimming soft, herbaceous stems like those on a hellebore (these are my favorite). When cutting back hellebores, skip using a scissors or flower snips for the job – you won’t have much success with these tools because the stems are stringy inside and sturdier than they look.
Another tool I like to have on-hand is a bucket or my favorite wheelbarrow to collect the trimmed leaves and other debris I remove from the area around each hellebore plant. I also keep some compost or another organic matter such as leaf mold close at hand so I can top-dress the bed after cutting back the plants.
The best time to cut back hellebores
Now let’s get to the information you’re looking for – when to cut back hellebores. The ideal time does not depend on a date on a calendar, but rather it depends on your climate and the current growth state of your plants. It also depends on which type of hellebore you’re growing.
The trick is to remove last year’s foliage before the appearance of new growth. Admittedly, I sometimes miss the mark and do my pruning slightly after the new leaves and flowers have emerged, but ideally, the plants should be pruned before this time. Read on to learn more.
When to cut back Christmas rose hellebores
For Helleborus niger, the Christmas rose (white flowers), pruning is best done in the late fall or early winter. Use your clippers to remove each old leaf stem in the clump. Some gardeners also opt to clean any fallen tree leaves away from the plant at this time so the flower stems can emerge unimpeded in December, but I prefer to leave my fallen leaves in place to provide habitat for overwintering pollinators. Neither is the wrong choice; the decision is yours.
If you totally miss this mark, it’s okay. When to cut back hellebores is also about fitting the task into your schedule when it’s convenient. If you don’t get around to the pruning until spring, that’s okay; just know that you’ll have to be a bit more careful when you prune so you don’t accidentally cut off any of the new growth.
When to prune Lenten rose hellebores
For Helleborus orientalis and hybrids, the Lenten rose (pink/purple flowers), pruning is best done in very early spring or late winter. Anytime from February through late March works in my Pennsylvania Zone 5 garden. The trick here is to remove the old leaves before the flower buds emerge from the center of the clump.
Again, if you miss the ideal time and the buds have already emerged (or perhaps the plant is even in full flower), it’s still okay. You can remove the spent leaves at this time, too; you’ll just have to be more careful to not disturb the new growth.
When to cut back hellebores in the summer
Some gardeners also opt to do some hellebore pruning during the summer months. This is primarily done to deadhead the plant. However, removing the spent flower stems is not a necessary job, but some gardeners like to do it to keep the garden tidy. I prefer to leave the flower stalks in place in my garden because eventually they produce seed pods and then I end up with a good crop of hellebore seedlings to spread around the garden the following year. These seedlings can sometimes look just like the parent plant, while other times their flowers are completely different. It’s fun to see what you get when your hellebores naturally hybridize.
Summer hellebore pruning can also take place to cut off diseased leaves. Though foliar diseases are not common on hellebores, if you do spot any marred foliage, trim it from the plant immediately and toss it in the trash.
A few additional tips for hellebore care
- Regularly weed around your hellebores to reduce competition for sunlight, water, and nutrition.
- Once a year, add about an inch of compost to the site.
- If you’d like, you can fertilize with a balanced organic granular fertilizer in the fall to help boost bloom production the following spring.
- Hellebores do not like to be disturbed or moved. Unlike some other perennials that can handle rough treatment, when you divide a hellebore, be very careful. Disturb the roots as little as possible. Dig up as big of a root ball as you can or don’t divide the plant at all. Mine are 15 years old and they have never been divided.
- Hellebore flower buds have a long vase life. Cut the stems after the flowers open, put it in a vase, and enjoy the blooms for 10 to 14 days. Change the water regularly.
It’s a good time
As you can see, good timing is important, but it’s not everything when it comes to knowing when to cut back hellebores. Hellebores are forgiving plants, at least when it comes to cutting them back. Enjoy their show-stopping blooms at a time when little else is in flower. You’ll be grateful you included them in your garden. The early spring bees will thank you for planting them, too.
Here’s more on the best time to cut back different plants:
- When to cut back iris
- When to cut back daylilies
- Cutting back hosta
- The best time to cut back Russian sage
- When to cut back peonies
- Proper time to cut back hydrangeas
