Christmas roses: varieties, plants, care & Co.

While other plants are hibernating, the Christmas rose blooms. Here you can find out what you should know about planting and caring for Christmas roses.

The Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) is one of the most popular Christmas plants and enchants us with its beautiful flowers in deep winter. The black hellebore, as it is also known, belongs to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). The perennial is best known for its early flowering time and is therefore wonderfully suitable for decorating house entrances or Window boxes in the dreary winter months, because it opens its flowers when many other flowers are just hibernating are located. If you don't have a Christmas rose yet, you should think about getting this robust and easy-care ornamental shrub for your garden or balcony.

A few interesting questions - such as whether Christmas roses are poisonous and where they actually come from - we answer in this article. We will also introduce you to the most beautiful varieties of Christmas roses and explain what you need to consider when planting, caring for and propagating the black hellebore.

Christmas roses: origin and meaning

Perhaps you have already seen Christmas roses growing in the wild in nature. That wouldn't be uncommon for some HelleborusSpecies are also common in Europe. The ancestors of today's Christmas roses come originally from Southeast Asia, from where they are after The climax of the last ice age (about 20,000 years ago) along the shores of the primeval Mediterranean Sea to the west have spread. Due to the constant temperature changes during this time, they probably developed their ability to postpone and even interrupt the growth and flowering period.

The way we know Helleborus niger, is widespread in German-speaking countries as well as in Slovenia, Croatia and northern Italy, where it likes to populate bushy and light forests. It even occurs at altitudes of up to 1900 meters. Since there are hardly any wild specimens left in many places, Christmas roses are particularly protected under the Federal Species Protection Ordinance. Fortunately, they have long been cultivated in monastery gardens and cottage gardens, so today you can also buy cultivated varieties for your garden or balcony.

Helleborus niger is known by many different names. The literal translation of the botanical name is "Black Hellebore", because the ground, black roots were used by rogues as sneezing powder. Since Christmas roses are poisonous, these fun activities could sometimes even end fatally - we therefore strongly advise against imitating them. The terms "Christmas rose", "Christmas rose" (in English "Christian Rose") or "Christkraut" are in turn on traced back the tradition of cultivating them so that they bloom on Christmas, around the day of Jesus' birth. In Austria, the terms “Schneerose” or “Schneebleamal” (ie “snow flower”) are common because in some areas it already blooms when there is still snow.

For a long time Christmas roses symbolized the release from fear and even the ancient Greeks knew about the healing properties of the plant. The phytotherapeutic agent is currently only used in homeopathy. Rather, the appearance of the Christmas rose in gardens and floristry is used today. The white flowers of the Christmas roses stand for hope and innocence. Some poems are also about the winter queen among the flowers.

Do Christmas roses bloom in summer?

The flowers of Christmas roses open when many other plants are just hibernating, because Christmas roses need a cold stimulus for the flowers to develop. This phenomenon in the plant world is called vernalization. The main flowering time is therefore, depending on the variety, in the winter months between November and February. Some modern varieties, such as ‘Double Fashion’, bloom in mild years even into April.

We present more plants that bloom in November in our article on Gardening in November before.

The white or reddish bracts of the Christmas roses change their hue as they bloom. They fade easily and then usually change from green to reddish. In this color, the flowers of the Christmas roses usually stay with us for a while. After flowering, the foliage adorns the garden - so the Christmas rose is more ideal for us over the summer months Ground cover and gap fillers.

Types and varieties of Christmas roses

In addition to the actual Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) there are about 20 more HelleborusSpecies that are all often incorrectly grouped under the name "Christmas rose" and are common in large parts of Europe and Asia. For example, the oriental hellebore (Helleborus orientalis), which is also called spring rose or spring rose. Compared to Christmas roses, spring roses open their flowers a little later, namely in the period from January to March.

Basically, there are two groups of Helleborus differentiate: the stem-forming (caulescent) and the non-stem-forming (acaulescent) species. As the name suggests, trunk-forming species are characterized by the fact that they form trunks above the ground. Furthermore, the rhizome is different than in non-stem-forming species, which has the consequence the stem-forming species, in contrast to non-stem-forming species, do not multiply by division permit. While most HelleborusSpecies belong to the non-stem-forming group, takes Helleborus niger an intermediate position. Although the Christmas rose does not form any above-ground stems, it has differences to the other species of the subgroup Helleborastrum in which all non-stem-forming species with the exception of the Tibetan hellebore (Helleborus thibetanus) fall.

The kind Helleborus niger, which is the main focus of this article, is further subdivided into different varieties. To make it easier for you to choose from this wide range of Christmas roses, we would now like to introduce you to some particularly beautiful varieties of Christmas roses.

Helleborus niger "Christmas Carol": Pure white flowers with a yellowish-green center; Main bloom from January to March; clump-forming, spreading growth; becomes about 10 to 20 cm high; evergreen

Helleborus niger ‘Double Fashion’: Whites Helleborus niger ‘Double Fashion’White, double flowers; blooms from December; reaches heights of growth of about 20 cm; suitable for sunny and partially shaded locations; very well winterized

Helleborus niger "HGC Jacob Royal": White flowers; blooms from November; strong and steadfast; medium strong growth; suitable for partially shaded and shady locations; very good winter hardiness

Helleborus niger ‘HGC Joel’: Plentiful, bright white flowers; blooms from December; compact, medium-strong growth; suitable for partially shaded and shady locations

Helleborus niger'Praecox': White, bowl-shaped flowers; Flowering time from November to January; bushy growth; becomes about 15 to 25 cm high; for partially shaded and shady locations; pretty tough

Helleborus niger ‘HGC Jericho’: Large-flowered variety; white flowers; blooms from December; dark green foliage; spreading growth; grows up to 30 cm high; suitable for partially shaded locations

Helleborus niger "White Christmas": Large, white flowers in bowl shape; becomes about 20 to 30 cm high; flowers from December to February; prefers partially shaded locations; suitable for pot culture

Helleborus niger 'Maximus': Large-flowered variety; simple, white flowers; Flowering time from November to February; spreading growth; becomes about 35 cm high; for partially shaded places

Helleborus niger ‘HGC Joshua’: Early flowering variety (November to December); white, bowl-shaped flowers; spreading growth; reaches heights of growth of up to 30 cm

Helleborus niger ‘HGC Josef Lemper’: Early flowering variety (from December); white, bowl-shaped flowers; medium strong growth; becomes about 25 to 30 cm high; for partially shaded to shady locations

It is best to plant Christmas roses in groups, then they are best shown to their advantage. However, if they are planted slightly scattered, Christmas roses are also very suitable as underplanting for bushes or trees. Wonderful combinations can also be made with other spring flowers such as Tulips (Tulipa), crocus (Crocus)or snowdrop (Glanthus). Appealing perennial beds can also be combined with Cranesbill (Geranium), Lady's mantle (Alchemilla) or Columbine (Aquilegia) create.

Buy Christmas roses

Young Christmas rose plants can be found in many online shops. To get an idea for yourself, it is worth visiting a garden center or a nursery. Here, for seasonal reasons, Christmas roses are usually only offered for sale in autumn. In addition to choosing the right variety, you should make sure that the selected Christmas rose is healthy and strong, because despite their robustness, Christmas roses can be affected by fungal attack. If you can see black spots on the leaves of the plant or if the flower stalks are kinked at the base, it would be better to keep your hands off this specimen. Small crawlers, such as aphids, like to eat Christmas roses. Therefore, when buying new plants, make sure that you only select healthy specimens that are free from pests.

What you at Purchase of Christmas roses should still be observed, we explain again in detail in our special article.

Planting Christmas roses

In the following, we explain to you in which location Christmas roses feel most comfortable and what you should consider when planting so that your Christmas rose grows well.

Planting Christmas roses: the perfect location

Once you have selected a particularly beautiful Christmas rose for your garden, it is important to choose the right place to plant it. Basically, it is important that your Christmas rose has enough space in the garden so that it can develop undisturbed. Locations with nutrient-rich, permeable humus soils with a slightly alkaline pH of around 7 to 8.5 are ideal for Christmas roses. They feel most comfortable protected in partial shade under a tree. There the Christmas rose can enjoy the gentle rays of the winter sun in the cold winter months, but in summer it is protected from excessive heat.

What you at the Choosing a location for Christmas roses you should pay attention to anything else and where you can best place your Christmas rose in the pot, you can find out in our special article.

Planting Christmas roses: instructions

Once you have chosen the right location, you should plant out your newly purchased Christmas rose as soon as possible. The best time to plant Christmas roses in the bed is in autumn (September to November). Alternatively, you can plant in rougher locations in late spring (April / May). Make sure you keep a sufficient distance (around 35 centimeters) from other plants so that there is no competition for light, water and nutrients. With higher growing hybrids you should keep a planting distance of about 50 centimeters.

Before inserting the root ball, submerge it in a bucket of water so that it can soak up. In the meantime, loosen the soil in the desired location and dig the planting hole, which is about twice the size of the root ball. To ensure good starting conditions, it is best to enrich the soil with a shovel compost and a handful Horn shavings at. Now take the soaked Christmas rose out of the bucket and plant it up to the root neck. Lightly press the soil with your hands to close any cavities. Then you should water the freshly planted plant well so that the soil can settle. To ensure that the conditions for the Christmas rose are evenly moist, you can finally apply a layer of mulch made of coarse compost or leaves. Now you have to be patient, because with young specimens it can sometimes take one to two years before they bloom for the first time.

You should only transplant Christmas roses if absolutely necessary, because they usually do not tolerate a change of location very well. In the worst case, it can even lead to the death of the plant. If it is still unavoidable, the best time for this is autumn (September) or spring (March / April). The more root mass that is retained, the greater the chance of successful relocation. Also make sure that the planting depth is maintained in the new location as far as possible.

Tip: To avoid skin irritation, it is essential to wear gloves when planting Christmas roses.

Planting Christmas roses in a pot

So that your Christmas rose in a pot thrives well, there are a few aspects to consider when planting. Christmas roses are deep-rooted, which is why you should choose a sufficiently large planter for your darling. First of all, a drainage layer is placed in the pot so that excess irrigation water can drain off. In this way waterlogging can be avoided.

A high-quality potting soil such as our peat-free soil is suitable as a substrate Plantura organic potting soil. It provides your Christmas rose with ideal nutrients and can be made a little more permeable by mixing with sand. Once the Christmas rose has been planted, a partially shaded spot on the balcony or terrace is a wonderful location. From then on, you should take good care of your darling, because Christmas roses have slightly higher care requirements in pots than outdoors. In addition to regular watering and fertilization, sufficient frost protection must be ensured so that the roots in the pot do not freeze through in winter. Which varieties are suitable for pot culture, how exactly you should go about planting and what to do with Caring for Christmas roses in a pot we explain to you here.

Propagate Christmas roses

If you can't get enough of Christmas roses, you should consider propagating particularly beautiful ones yourself. Probably the simplest method is to divide the roots after flowering in spring. To do this, first tie the leaves together loosely with raffia and then push a pitchfork through the center of the root ball. A second pitchfork is then placed just below the first. Now gently move both pitchforks back and forth to split the rhizome. Make sure you dig the Christmas rose deep enough so that as much root mass as possible is retained. Then plant the new plant directly in its new destination and water it well. By the next season the Christmas rose should start to bloom again.

Alternatively, you can also use seeds to propagate your Christmas roses. A single variety propagation is not possible. In addition, this method of propagation is very time-consuming and labor-intensive. If you still want to take on the effort, take the seeds from the ripe fruits in early summer.

Fill a freezer bag with damp sand and then place the seeds in the refrigerator for about four to six weeks before sowing them. This so-called stratification of the seeds is necessary, as it is with Christmas roses Cold germ acts. You can achieve a similar effect if you place the seed pot on the balcony over the winter. Alternatively, you can simply bloom the Christmas roses in the bed and let the follicles burst. You can look forward to the first seedlings next spring. The first flowers are usually still around three to four years away.

Caring for Christmas roses

When the Christmas rose has grown well, it makes hardly any demands on its care compared to other ornamental perennials. Adequate watering should be ensured during the flowering period from November to February. But of course, the root ball should not dry out completely even outside of the flowering period. So keep an eye on your Christmas rose even during the summer months so that you can water it if necessary. A mulch layer made of compost, leaves or grass clippings not only keeps the moisture in the soil, but also provides your Christmas rose with nutrients. Regular pruning is not necessary for Christmas roses. In early summer (May), simply cut off the withered flower stalks so that the Christmas rose does not invest its energy in the formation of seed heads. The old leaves are only removed when they have been completely pulled in.

Everything about the topic "Caring for Christmas roses“You can also read about it in our special article.

Common diseases and pests in Christmas roses

Unfortunately, even the robust Christmas rose is not immune to infection with plant diseases and pests. We have therefore put together an overview of the most important diseases and pests on Christmas roses for you:

Black spot disease

As the year progresses, black spots often appear on the leaves of Christmas roses. These are caused by a fungus that has long been called Coniothyrium hellbori was known. However, the exact origin of the pathogen is still the subject of research. According to more recent findings, it is therefore more of the genus Phoma or Microsphaeropsis assigned. You can recognize the so-called black spot disease by the irregular, round black spots that appear especially on the edges of the leaves. A particularly strong infestation can lead to the death of the leaves and should therefore be treated as soon as possible. To do this, remove the old diseased leaves. To prevent further spread of the leaf blotch disease, do not dispose of the planting material on the compost afterwards, but in the residual waste. Too low a pH in the soil, an oversupply of nitrogen and persistently moist leaves can promote fungal infection. You should therefore always ensure that the location conditions are optimal so that your Christmas rose lacks nothing. If the worst comes to the worst, fungicides are also available, but should be used as soon as the first symptoms appear in order to achieve an ideal effect.

Rhizome and stem rot

If the shoots of your Christmas rose snap off at the bottom for no apparent reason in spring and turn brown at the base have black rotten spots, it is probably an infestation with the so-called rhizome or Stem rot. Various mushrooms can be used for this, such as Pythium, Phytophtora or Rhizoctonia,to be responsible. Unfortunately, it is hardly possible to combat these pathogens. You should therefore prevent the disease by planting the plant in a well-drained soil, as persistent waterlogging can encourage the appearance of these fungi.

Aphids and snails

In addition to fungal diseases, pests can also attack your Christmas rose. Aphids like to eat the leaves of the Christmas rose in the truest sense of the word. But they do not pose a real threat to the plant. If you still want to do something about it, you can remove the infected leaves with a self-made nettle broth or an organic preparation from the gardening trade spray.

Snails, on the other hand, like to nibble on young cotyledons and leaves, so that hardly anything is left of the plant. For the sake of the environment, you should use biological means to control snails.

Here we introduce you to some of the ways you can Fight snails effectively can.

Are Christmas roses poisonous?

Yes, all plant parts of Christmas roses are poisonous and therefore not suitable for human consumption. Various toxic ingredients are responsible for this, such as the protoanemonin found in buttercups. In the genus Helleborus In addition, the heart poison Helleborin and the powerful steroid saponin Helleborin are added. The roots are particularly poisonous, so poisoning by snow roses is rarely observed. However, leaking sap from gardening can cause skin irritation. Therefore, always wear gloves when handling Christmas roses and do not touch your face while gardening. With pets, puppies and kittens are particularly at risk, as they could eat the poisonous seeds and roots out of curiosity.

In our special article on the subject, we explain how you should react in the event of poisoning and how you can ensure that it doesn't get that far in the first place Poisonous Christmas roses.