waiting on helleborus babies

[Christie-SW-MO]

I sowed helleborus seeds fresh last summer and I'm getting anxious to see them coming up. Some are in my shade garden and some are in containers. I wanted to try both methods so I might be more likely to get some seedlings. I saw a little green sprout in one of my containers today and got all excited but it was just a weed.
Is anyone else waiting on babies? Am I correct in thinking that they will come up earlier than typical seedlings?

[Robyn]

I have some kind of seedlings coming up in my helleborus bed. I don't know for sure but I think they are helleborus babies that self-seeded. I got quite a few babies that way last year.

[Doris_J]

They will take a few months. Generally, when Hellebores go to seed in the early summer and drop their seed, the seedlings will show up sometime over winter. I think they need to have that cold period to germinate. I just saw some new seedlings from last summer's crop out in the garden this week.

[Chris_W]

In my propagation handbook it says that Helleborus need TWO 3 month cold periods and following that they will germinate in 1 to 10 months. Because of that I've always figured sowing them outdoors was the only real way to go with them.

[Christie-SW-MO]

Robyn and Doris - you both already have seedlings this year?!! That's not very encouraging for me since I don't have any yet. I'll keep watching though.
Thanks for your info Chris. I have some seeds in a shade bed and my containers are outside also but our weather has been up and down so I hope it's been cold enough for them. Hoping to see a whole bunch of seedlings coming up soon.

[Robyn]

Based on what Chris said they could be seedlings from 2003 flowers. I don't sow the seeds. I just let them fall where they may and then move the seedlings. It has been working for me.

[Christie-SW-MO]

Can someone tell me if helleborus foetidus germinates around the same time as orientalis and hybrids?
Still waiting for babies.

[Doris_J]

Here is a picture of one of my Hellebores, and you can see some newly germinated babies below it. These are from last summer's seed that was allowed to drop to the ground and do its own thing. I'll have to dig these up and replant them after they get their true leaves, if I want to grow them on.

[Doris_J]

Oh, I also know that Helleborus seed needs to be sown fresh, so if you got your seeds from a seed catalog or from a trader with old seed, they may not be very viable.

[Christie-SW-MO]

I have some little foetidus seedlings coming up now so maybe my hybrids won't be far behind. I had fresh seeds so will surely get some babies soon. It would help if it would warm up for more than one day in a row.

[oldcoot]

B ut so farf this yearf all they are doingb is putting on new folliage. NO blooms yet.....


That Funny and VERY Friendly Old Coot , named John, saying, "SPRING" is coming and in just 27 more days" and counting !!!

[insam]

For those interested in getting a little more growing time, a rather foolproof way to germinate seed is to simply keep them slightly moist at room temperature for 8 weeks, then put them in the refrigerator for 8 weeks.
Say, you collect fresh seed by the beginning of June, you could have germination by late Sept- early Nov.
I started doing this with seed from the southern hemisphere out of necessity, but it works just as well with local seed.
Or as Doris said, just let 'em fall and they'll be putting out a root by mid-winter.