Helleborus foetidus

‘Wester Flisk’

WESTER FLISK HELLEBORE

Helleborus foetidus ‘Wester Flisk’
WESTER FLISK HELLEBORE

Helleborus foetidus ‘Wester Flisk’ is a champion at lighting up shaded areas during the winter.
Because it has large clustered heads of nodding, lime-green bells. Each bell strikingly rimmed with a crimson edge.

Invaluable winter colour

And it blooms for ages, from mid-winter on, through all the coldest dullest days, until mid-spring.
Invaluable.
Otherwise it is equally as hardy and easy to grow as all the other Helleborus foetidus varieties.

Bone hardy & charming

Because they are such a bone hardy, good old fashioned standbys, no garden should be without Hellebores.
Helleborus foetidus are fool proof, frost hardy, and well able to cope with periods of dry once established.

Winter blooms under trees and shrubs

There is nothing more charming than the cheerful sparkling blooms in the middle of winter.
They also look wonderful interplanted with daffodils, as they all carry on together into spring.

Perfect solution for Shade

Helleborus foetidus love to nestle under trees and shrubs, where they come into their glory during the winter and into spring.
Then they are no trouble to have filling the space with their evergreen handsome leaves for the rest of the year.
They are especially valuable in Dry Shade areas, and are masters of what is often a difficult spot under big trees.
So they are a splendid sight planted in drifts under established deciduous trees.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: Helleborus foetidus ‘Wester Flisk’

Seeds of Helleborus foetidus ‘Wester Flisk’ depend on having several months in cold damp seed raising mix.

So sow seeds immediately you receive them and keep the punnet / pots in a cold place – in the fridge (not freezer) / a shade house / or completely shaded part of the garden so they experience the winter cold.

But if you are placing them outside for the natural winter to do the chilling job – than make sure you cover the punnet / pots with some bird and rodent proof wire so you don’t lose your seeds to hungry wildlife. (Native Antechinus  are cute – but not that cute to sacrifice your beautiful Helleborus to).

Natural germination will occur in cooler months of May to September.

Never be tempted to use artificial heat, as this will prevent them from germinating, and may even kill the seeds.

Pot on seedlings, as they germinate, to mature before planting out in the garden.

And do not be too hasty to throw away Hellebore seed punnets, as some seeds may germinate quite a while after the early risers. It is a natural trick of this plant to stagger seed germination so as to give a sporting chance their babies will germinate into a period of favourable weather.

SEED COUNT: 10 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the count and give a generous serve).

GROWING: Helleborus foetidus ‘Wester Flisk’

– Height with flowers: Large clustered heads of flowers on 45cm. approx stems. So they ride high and proud above the handsome, dark green foliage.
– Width: Evergreen clump to approx. 45cm. diameter.

Hardy under trees and shrubs

– Position: Deep Shade to 1/2 Shade. Dappled light under trees and shrubs is perfect. They are able to cope well with Dry Shade once they have found their feet and established.
They are also very tolerant of air pollution, so are often used in busy city locations.
– Soil: As natural born woodland plants, they of course enjoy the compost and leaf litter conditions normally found under trees and shrubs.
However they are not all that fussy about soil types, or acid or alkaline, as long as they have reasonable drainage. Except sandy soils will require the addition of compost.
They dislike being waterlogged, so heavy soils can be made acceptable by the addition of some gravel. Otherwise, Hellebores are really forgiving and obliging.

Other benefits

– Frost: Hellebores are completely unfazed by frost and will happily bloom through snow.
– Growth: Evergreen perennial clump of handsome foliage and long blooming winter flowers. What more could you ask? They even oblige with a steady stream of baby seedlings in woodland conditions. So they will create their own drifts. However they are not invasive, and can be easily weeded out if you don’t happen to want a drift there.
– Bees & birds: You only have to marvel at the hybrid vigour and variety of the seedlings, to know that bees have had a whale of a time visiting the parent flowers. The long winter blooming period and prolific flowering makes them especially valuable for bees and other beneficial pollinators.

Low maintenance

– Care: Low maintenance and easy “no fuss” plants. If you are determined to be busy, then an annual shear of the old foliage during late autumn / early winter freshens things up for flower display, and then a dressing with compost or mulch after flowering pampers them.
– Be aware: While all parts of Helleborus are toxic if eaten in large quantities, mercifully they taste very bitter and burn the lips. So any foragers are highly likely to spit it out, unlikely to take a second nibble, and will have a hard time eating enough to do damage.
– Deer & Rabbit resistant: That bitter taste also deters rabbits and deer from munching. Somehow they seem to know it is not going to be nice..
– Origin: Various species of this genus originated in Europe and Asia. However the greatest concentration of this species is in the Balkans.

Perfect under trees & shrubs

It is an exceptionally tough grower, so can cope happily with Deep Shade as well as Dappled Shade, Deciduous Shade, or Morning Sun.
And can manage with minimal water in all positions, because it is quite dry hardy once established.
‘Wester Flisk’ is a tough and easy growing perennial.

Tough and easy growing but a treasure

Helleborus foetidus ‘Wester Flisk’ is remarkably hardy to frost, heat and dry.
And not fussy on soil type. does enjoy good drainage.

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