Hellebore 'Pink Frost'

Questions about hellebore 'Pink Frost'

Does hellebore 'Pink Frost' need sun or shade?

Hellebore 'Pink Frost' grows in part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun), 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 wants ordinary well-drained soil, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does hellebore 'Pink Frost' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 9. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

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

When does hellebore 'Pink Frost' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late February to mid 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 hellebore 'Pink Frost' be planted?

18 in (45 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 24 in (60 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 16 in (40 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many hellebore 'Pink Frost' plants do I need?

At 18 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 5 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 7 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 17 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 three in one group.

Is hellebore 'Pink Frost' 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 the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like hellebore 'Pink Frost'?

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

• Coral bells 'Berry Smoothie': the same job in a bed and the same size; grown for its leaves, not its flowers, not evergreen.
• Brunnera 'Looking Glass': the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers late April to late May, blue, not pink.
• Wild geranium 'Espresso': the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers early May to early June, medium leaves, not bold.

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

What flowers after hellebore 'Pink Frost'?

Hellebore 'Pink Frost' is over by mid April. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Daffodil: from mid April to early May, 16 in tall.
• Lily of the valley: from early May to late May, 8 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Sweet woodruff: from early May to early June, 8 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does hellebore 'Pink Frost' look like in winter?

Hellebore 'Pink Frost' keeps its blue-green and silver 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 midwinter flowers as well.