*16_emergcrops.qxd 5/1/06 1:24 PM Page 16 emergingcrops Hellebores Are Riding High Hellebores are long-lived, low-maintenance, and drought- and deer-resistant plants that flower in a wide range of colors from winter to early spring. By Alan Bush here would be little exaggeration if you said hellebores de- By consistently improving served a spot on the varieties, plant breeders current hit parade of perennials.T The rapid ascendancy have been able to refine to mainstream popularity has even and reinvent some species. begun to shake the pillars of the hosta world and its long-lasting These old standbys have claim to dominion over all in the shade garden. been transformed from Why are hellebores moving up troublemakers to industry so quickly in sun-challenged gar- dens? They flower in a wide range sweethearts, from plants of colors from winter to early no one wanted to grow spring and also tolerate heat. They are long lived, low maintenance, to ones they can’t keep and drought and deer resistant. Most commercially available plants in stock. To show the are cold hardy from at least Zone 4 potential of these through Zone 9. In their native provenance of Southern Europe, emerging crops, GPN is the species experiences warm days running a 6-part series and cool evenings, yet they have proven very adaptable, surviving detailing each crop’s even in the southern United States. transformation and some Sound like a recipe for success? tips for success. Breeding Better Plants The ordinary species — and even some of the earlier hybrids — January: Lobelia did little to excite home gardeners. February: Penstemon Besides lovely white flowers on the early flowering Christmas rose, March: Euphorbia Helleborus niger (December-March), April: Salvia and the reddish-purple blossoms of Helleborus purpurascens (mid- May: Hellebores March to mid-April), there wasn’t June: Phlox hybrids much to tempt anyone among the early hybrids with the lenten rose, Helleborus orientalis. The drooping flowers in dull shades of char- treuse, pink and white were bor- 16 GPN May 2006 *16_emergcrops.qxd 5/1/06 1:24 PM Page 17 ing, but they were early flowering from late February until mid-April. And gardeners, hanging by a thread after months of endless cold Write in 806 and gray, responded to any blooms that boldly dared to face off with the remnants of winter. Breeding work began in the 1960s, principally in England and Germany, and picked up steam over the last 15 years in the United States. Selection efforts accompanied by a better understanding of production techniques have produced more- consistent seed strains and better availability. The plants most com- monly grown are known as Helleborus x hybridus and represent a stewpot of bloodlines between Helleborus orientalis and other species. Vast improvements in mixed flower- ing strains are represented by ‘Royal Heritage’, ‘Winter Queen’, ‘Select Strain’ and ‘Ashwood Strain’ from the United Kingdom. Standout Varieties Though seeding is still the pre- dominant means of propagation, the tissue-cultured ‘Ivory Prince’, marketed by Skagit Gardens, has been a breakthrough success in vitro. It is the result of a complex series of crosses and opens the way for a new chapter in hellebores. Breeders now offer seed-grown selections of Helleborus x hybridus in single colors of dark purple, red, pink, yellow or white. Jelitto’s Lady series produces these distinct colors more than 90 percent of the time. Semi-double and double-flowering forms are available in varieties like the white-flowering ‘Betty Ranicar’, Pine Knot’s Southern Belles and Jelitto’s ‘Double Vision’ and ‘Double Ladies Mixed’. Most breeders are infatuated with spotted or picoteed types. Some prefer upward-facing flowers while others like the charm of nodding, bell-shaped blooms. Helleborus x hybridus selections receive most of the attention. The lesser known, earlier flowering Helleborus niger has gotten a bum rap for being fussy. I haven’t had any difficulty, though I have found ± Top: ‘Silver Lace’ from Skagit Gardens features silvery foliage with green veins, creating a lacey look that gives the variety its name. Bottom: ‘Ivory Prince’, also from Skagit, is the first commercially available hellebores from tissue culture. Write in 716 *16_emergcrops.qxd 5/1/06 1:24 PM Page 18 Advertisement emergingcrops them a little slower growing. In milder Decembers I can find blooms at EPA Grants TriStar™ Insecticide Christmastime in my Louisville, Ky., garden. Cold snaps will delay bloom Non-Agricultural Use Label Amendment until a warm spell returns. Helleborus Cleary Chemical Corporation announces that the niger ‘Maximus’ has especially large Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has accepted a blooms and ‘Praecox- Hybrid’ is earli- label amendment to include the WPS non-agricultural use er flowering, faster growing and well re-entry instructions for TriStar™ 70 WSP insecticide. The suited for container production. amendment means that TriStar can be used by professional Hellebrous foetidus, the so-called lawn and landscape contrac- stinking hellebore, has lovely, more tors in residential and com- narrow leaflets than other species and mercial applications for clusters of small, chartreuse blooms. effective control of a broad ‘Wester Flisk’ has greenish blooms range of insects without the with a reddish edge, and the seed 12 hour REI. strain ‘Gold Bullion’ has stunning golden foliage in winter, though in Introduced to the ornamen- warmer summer climates the color tal market in 2003, TriStar Pine Knot Farms Perennials will fade to green. quickly established itself as www.pineknotfarms.com the leading neonicotinyl Southern Bells series Seed Requirements foliar insect spray for the Hellebores have a lengthy seed ger- greenhouse, field, nursery Jelitto Perennial Seeds mination timetable that may require 4-6 and landscape markets. www.jelitto.com months, with an additional 4- to 12- Featuring contact, systemic, Ladies and Double Ladies series month growing-on schedule. Despite ovicidal and translaminar Skagit Gardens the time investment, for many, seed- activity, TriStar provides ww.skagitgardens.com grown plants remain the most econom- fast-acting control that lasts for weeks. Precise foliar appli- Ivory Prince ical option for the foreseeable future. cations save time and money in the greenhouse, field, nurs- The germination process is not difficult ery, and landscape. but does require space and time. The inclusion of the WPS non-agricultural use re-entry Seeds must be sown soon after instructions is the latest label expansion for the product. In harvesting, between June and mid- 2005, the EPA granted TriStar an expanded label that August. When seeds are dispersed increased its already broad-spectrum control to key, eco- from their mother plants, the embryo nomically important insect categories such as aphids, mealy is not fully ripened and does not fully bugs, caterpillars , sharpshooters, scales, whiteflies, thrips, mature for another 6-12 weeks (it is leaf eating beetles and leaf miners. safest to presume 12 weeks). In production, the warm-moist peri- “We are extremely pleased with the acceptance that TriStar od required for seed ripening can be continues to receive from leading ornamental growers and accommodated in the plug phase by landscapers”, says Don Rossi, Director of Sales and 1 Marketing, Cleary Ornamental Products. “The fact that planting in either deep (2 ⁄2 inches), open flats that are easier to oversee or TriStar is a foliar spray with rapid knockdown that controls in 72- to 228-cell plug trays that will a wide variety of insects is a winning combination of bene- need more vigilance to maintain even fits for the customer. moisture. Natural autumn-winter cool- Applicators are reminded that in non-agricultural applica- ing is the best way to allow for the nec- tions, such as residential and commercial landscapes, pets essary moist-cold stratification of 4-10 and children must be kept off of treated areas until the prod- weeks. Variable temperatures ranging uct application dries. from 25-40° F are preferred over a con- stantly cooled, refrigerated period. For 68 years, the turf and ornamental industries have come Hellebores are not members of to count on Cleary Chemical for superior, quality plant pro- the rose family, as you might imag- tection products, utilizing the most up-to-date technology. ine with common names of Cleary markets innovate products such as new 3336 Plus™ Christmas and lenten rose. Rather, fungicide with ClearTec™ Activation Technology™, 26/36 they are members of the buttercup Fungicide™ and TriStar™ 70 WSP insecticide; Cleary family, ranunculaceae. Unlike most 3336™, Endorse™, Spectro™, new Protect™ DF, seeds of herbaceous perennials, ± Spotrete™, and Alude™ fungicides; and, Nutri-Grow™ Magnum foliar nutrient. ### Top: ‘Pink Spotted Lady’ from Jelitto Perennial Seeds shows the great colors now available in The Cleary logo, 3336 Plus, ClearTec, 26/36 Fungicide, 3336, hellebores. Bottom: Hellebores’ textured leaves Spectro, Protect and Alude are trademarks of Cleary Chemical make a great component for mixed containers. Corporation. Endorse is a trademark of Arysta LifeSciences (Photo: Skagit Gardens) Corporation. Nutri-Grow Magnum is a trademark of Biagro- Western, Inc. TriStar is a registered trademark of Nippon Soda Co. Ltd. Activation Technology is a trademark of CJB Industries. 18 GPN May 2006 Write in 707 Cleary-Whitefly removed 12/7/05 5:01 PM Page 1 Compare 70 WSP Insecticide The #1 Foliar Insecticide TriStar® vs. Other Nicotinyl Insecticides* Product Marathon II Flagship Safari Celero Aria Labeled Pest Adelgids Aphids Beetles Caterpillars Fungus Gnats† Leafhoppers Leaf Miners Mealybugs Plant Bugs Psyllids Sawflies Scales, Hard Scales, Soft Thrips Whiteflies Controlled by Suppressed by Not registered for foliar application foliar application foliar application *Comparison based on foliar label recommendation. † Follow direct spray instructions on label. TriStar® Features and Benefits • Fast Contact Control • Systemic • Broad Spectrum • Long Residual Count on Cleary • Ovicide Activity • Reduced Risk • Translaminar • Foliar Spray www.clearychemical.com Read and follow all label directions.