How to Grow and Care for Christmas Rose

The Christmas rose is not a rose and it does not flower at Christmastime in many regions. This plant, which has beautifully nodding, pale white flowers, blooms around Christmas in mild, warm areas, and makes attractive green groundcovering during other seasons.

The Christmas rose plant is steeped in holiday history and superstition. It gets its name from a story when a young shepherd girl wanted to see the newborn Christ in Bethlehem but didn't have a gift for the baby until an angel appeared, took pity on her, and touched the ground near her. Suddenly, a Christmas rose appeared as the gift she could bring on her visit. Because of this folklore legend, the plant is often planted or placed near a home's entryway to ward off evil spirits. Read on to learn how to grow and care for this mysterious blooming plant that is also toxic to humans and pets.

Christmas Rose Care

Here are the main care requirements for growing Christmas rose:

• Plant Christmas rose either in spring or fall. It is relatively easy to care for and will even become a naturalized plant under the right conditions in USDA zones 3 to 9.
• Shelter it from winter winds to keep the foliage from drying out. If the leaves do dry and turn brown, remove them as new growth emerges.
• Grow Christmas rose where it will receive full to partial shade in summer and full sun in winter.
• Give this perennial good drainage and keep its soil evenly moist.

Light

If Christmas rose gets too much sun in summer, its leaves will turn brown. But this plant likes full sun during its blooming period: in winter. If you grow it under a deciduous tree, you will get the best of both worlds (summer shade and winter sun), since deciduous trees shed their leaves in fall.

Soil

Give the plant a well-drained soil. Ground without good drainage can be made more porous by applying compost.

Water

Keep the soil consistently moist but do not over-water. Newly planted Christmas roses are the most susceptible to drying out. Once planted in the right spot, ensure the Christmas rose's soil never completely dries out.

Temperature and Humidity

Christmas rose is a hardy plant. However, at the northern end of its range, Christmas rose can profit from mulching for the winter to protect it from drying winds. It tolerates a range of humidity levels.

Fertilizer

Christmas rose prefers organically rich soil. Dig compost into the ground around it annually in spring.

Types of Hellebores

The world of hellebores can be confusing to beginners seeking to purchase one at the local garden center. For example, another popular hellebore is the Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis), so called because, in some regions, it blooms around the period of Catholic Lent. But since Christmas rose also blooms at this time in some locales, the use of these common names can be confusing.

To make an informed decision when buying, be sure to look for the botanical name and know for certain what features you're looking for. If you want very dark green foliage and an earlier blooming period, buy Helleborus niger.

Pruning

The older leaves on Christmas rose will eventually become tattered. The best time to remove them is when new growth begins to emerge. These fresh leaves will come up between the older leaves. Cut the stems of the tattered foliage close to the base of the clump.

Propagating Christmas Rose

Propagate Christmas rose plants by division and by seed. This plant does not require or even like to be divided to keep it vigorous. So if you decide to divide this perennial, it's best to do it in late winter or early spring. Take these steps:

1. Using a spade, dig your Christmas rose out of the ground.
2. Pour water over the rootball to wash off the soil, so you can see what you're working with. What you're looking for are buds on the crown.
3. Before dividing, be sure each division will bear at least two buds. 
4. Once you have determined where to make your cut, do so with a sharp knife.

How to Grow Christmas Rose From Seed

You can also grow Christmas rose plants from seed. The easiest way is to collect the seeds your plant produced as soon as you see them. Then take these easy steps:

1. Plant them in outdoor containers right away and keep their soil moist.
2. Germination can occur as early as that fall.
3. After germination, either leave them in the container or transplant them into the garden.

Potting and Repotting Christmas Rose

Since Christmas rose requires good drainage, begin by placing a layer of coarse gravel (small stones) in the bottom of your container.

• On top of this, apply potting mix.
• Fill the pot with the potting mix to within 1 inch of the top.
• Dig a hole for your plant. When you plant the Christmas rose, make sure the crown is not buried (to avoid crown rot).
• Tamp down the soil lightly around the crown and water well.
• Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged.

Overwintering

Mulch Christmas rose for winter protection for the roots if you are growing it at the northern end of the plant's range. The drying winds of winter will not kill the plant but the plant's leaves may turn brown and spoil the plant's appearance temporarily.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

The main pests that eat Christmas rose plants are aphids and slugs. Inspect the undersides of the leaves for aphids; if you find any, spray them with neem oil. Slugs are easier to detect but also do more damage. Use natural methods for slug control, such as salt spray or beer bottle traps.

The main diseases that infest Christmas rose plants are crown rot and leaf spot. Avoid crown rot by planting the crown of the Christmas rose so it rests at or slightly above ground level. Leaf spot is the less serious of the two diseases. Avoid overhead watering or watering in the evening to keep foliage dry.

How to Get Christmas Rose to Bloom

Bloom Months

The Christmas rose blooms outdoors in late winter or early spring in the more northern parts of its range. They persist for a long time even after their color fades.

What Do Christmas Rose Flowers Look and Smell Like?

The flowers are a beautiful pale white. Helleborus niger is grown as much for its foliage as for its flowers. The nodding flowers of the Christmas rose are also attractive, looking like rose buds before fully unfurling.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Ensure the plant has partial shade and protection from windy conditions so it thrives and blooms. However, sometimes it will need full sun in the winter during its blooming period. Enrich neutral or slightly alkaline soil with peat moss, leaf mold, or compost.

Caring for Christmas Rose After It Blooms

Cut back the old brown or yellow foliage as new blooms and leaves appear. Cut off faded blossoms.

Common Problems With Christmas Rose

The Christmas rose does not have many problems. But you will have to look out for a few issues.

Moisture Issues

The biggest problem you will have with a Christmas rose is usually related to moisture. Since you will be growing Christmas rose in the shade, there will not be enough sun to dry out the soil readily. This is why moisture-loving slugs can be a problem. Moisture is also a contributing factor to crown rot and leaf spot. These common problems with Christmas rose plants are easily addressed through proper cultural practices, such as offering the plant better air circulation and watering from below, not from above.

Brown Leaves

If you see spotting or browning on leaves, and there are dark rings around the spots, your Christmas rose may have a fungal or bacterial infection. This may lead to leaf drop. Prune out the damaged leaves for air circulation and properly dispose of them in a sealed garbage bag. Browned leaves may also indicate the plant is located in too much sun.