Corsican hellebore

Questions about corsican hellebore

Does corsican hellebore need sun or shade?

Corsican hellebore grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning). It is one of the few that also put up with deep shade.

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does corsican hellebore grow in?

USDA zones 6 to 9. It is hardy to zone 6, which means it survives winter nights down to about 0 °F (−18 °C).

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

When does corsican hellebore flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late February to late 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 corsican hellebore be planted?

2½ ft (75 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3 ft (90 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 2½ ft (75 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many corsican hellebore plants do I need?

At 2½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

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

In a mixed border, plant it as one, with clear ground around it: a feature plant is seen as an object, and a group of them is a thicket.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is corsican hellebore poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts are poisonous if eaten, and the sap can irritate skin. Wear gloves when cutting it back.

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

Is there a pet-safe plant like corsican hellebore?

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

• Arkansas bluestar: the same job in a bed; 6 in taller, flowers mid May to early June.
• Dwarf fountain grass 'Hameln': the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers late July to mid September, cream, not green.

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

Do deer eat corsican hellebore?

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.

Will corsican hellebore spread?

It seeds itself about; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Self-seeds around the parent plant. Seedlings are easy to move while small.

What flowers after corsican hellebore?

Corsican hellebore is over by late April. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Catmint 'Walker's Low': from mid May to mid September, 24 in tall.
• Columbine: from early May to mid June, 24 in tall.
• Tulip: from late April to mid May, 18 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does corsican hellebore look like in winter?

Corsican hellebore keeps its grey-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 and evergreen structure as well.