Growing Helleborus From Seeds
By naoto
14 comments
I have been cultivating various helleborus from seeds and now they are emerging……so I’ve decided to start this blog in order to report how they will grow…..
These are single-flowered yellow with gold nectaries by Ashwood Nurseries. The result is 5 out of 5 seeds – perfect!
Single-flowered apricot by Ashwood. The result is 4 out of 5 seeds.
Single-flowered black by Ashwood. These seem a bit weaker growth than the other two above.
Double-flowered white from Ashwood. Ahh…this was a failure…..I had 8 seeds of this, gave 3 seeds to my friend and kept 5 to myself – 4 were somehow rotten last year so this is the only survivor. Phew!
This is double flowered niger called “Double Fantasy” – I was given some seeds from a friend in Japan (sorry, I don’t remember how many) and only 3 have emerged.
The same story goes here – was given this Chinese helleborus (thibetanus) seeds from Japan and only one has emerged so far.
These are H.vesicarius. I purchased 3 seeds from Mr. McLewin of Phedar Nursery in March 2012 and sowed them immediately. 2 have emerged so far and one wouldn’t break its dormancy…..
20 Feb, 2013
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Comments
Useful pics and info, Naoto... thanks :o)
20 Feb, 2013
Naoto thank you for your very interesting blog.
Well done on cultivating.
20 Feb, 2013
Thanks for your comments!
I'll keep posting when there's some changes.
20 Feb, 2013
A good idea to log your attempts like this. Well done so far!
20 Feb, 2013
Very interesting...will be great to see updates!
20 Feb, 2013
you sow them last year?
20 Feb, 2013
Well done Naoto, hope they grow well for you......
20 Feb, 2013
Thanks for your comments! I'll keep updating!
@Bik
Yes, I sowed these last year......helleborus seeds need about 6 to 8 weeks of hot & humid periods then the same lengths of cold periods, in order to break dormancy.
I recommend you buy fresh helleborus seeds from Ashwood or helleborus specialists in summer - do not buy packed ones available at garden centres - they're not fresh and the chances of germination could be low......
21 Feb, 2013
thanks a lot
21 Feb, 2013
Could I ask where you are keeping them from last spring as there is no signs of moss on your pots things that take a year to germinate with me are plagued with it here even though they are top dressed and have overhead cover as yours are.
18 Mar, 2013
I'd kept them in the garden shed until the first seedling emerged (June-December). Then I placed the whole pot in the unheated cold frame in half-shady spot of my garden. Does that help?
18 Mar, 2013
Ah! one more thing......I spray fungicide (called Bayer Fungus Fighter or something) - once a month or so - on the surface of grits to prevent damping-off so probably this may be working.....
18 Mar, 2013
Interesting blog Naoto and thanks for the tips to get these to germinate,saving for future reference, I tried once from seed with no luck I'll remember to buy fresh next time.
21 Feb, 2014
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best of luck naoto ~ hope they do well, looks very interesting
20 Feb, 2013