Christmas rose

Questions about Christmas rose

Does Christmas rose need sun or shade?

Christmas rose grows in part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light). It is one of the few that also put up with deep shade.

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does Christmas rose grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 8. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does Christmas rose flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late February to early April. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should Christmas rose be planted?

12 in (30 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 16 in (40 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 12 in (30 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many Christmas rose plants do I need?

At 12 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 12 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 11 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 38 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used six in two groups.

Is Christmas rose poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts are poisonous if eaten. The sap can irritate skin and eyes.

Rated from NC State Extension and the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like Christmas rose?

These come closest to doing what Christmas rose does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Woodland phlox: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers late April to late May, not evergreen.
• Wherry's foamflower: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers early May to late June, not evergreen.
• Liverleaf: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 6 in shorter, 6 in narrower.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat Christmas rose?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What flowers after Christmas rose?

Christmas rose is over by early April. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Polyanthus primrose: from late March to mid May, 8 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Bugleweed: from early May to late May, 6 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Bleeding heart: from early May to early June, 2½ ft tall.

What does Christmas rose look like in winter?

Christmas rose keeps its dark green leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone. It is grown for winter flowers beside a path or door as well.