Q. Hi Peter, I have what I believe is a Hellebores argutifolius that has done surprisingly well for the last few years in a hot, dry area next to a cedar tree. It has clusters of yellow-green flowers and sawtoothed leaves and is about 3′ high and around. It’s starting to look a little leggy this year and I was wondering if it should be cut back or otherwise cared for. Normally I just cut the flower clusters off when they begin to fade. The foliage stays nice year round. Thanks, Henry Raynor – Puyallup, WA
A. This description does sound like Helleborus argutifolius (Syn. H. corsicus) or Corsican Hellebore. It is understandable that you are having good luck with this species in a hot, sunny and dry area. Although most Hellebores are prefer partial sites that are shade to shade these are native to the sunny climes of Sardinia and Corsica – Mediterranean islands). In their native lands the foliage is evergreen as it tends to be around the Puget Sound but in cooler parts of our country they can die back to the ground. Usually just cleaning up old flower stalks and tattered leaf stalks is sufficient grooming for these plants. But you can also give them a haircut (to the ground) in the late winter before they send up the flower stalks (this is optional and not usually necessary with evergreen hellebores). In addition after a few years they may need some fertilization as well – test the soil in the root zone. I am not sure how many years you have had them but their life expectancy is usually in the 5-6 year range (sometimes a few years longer if you are lucky). They may get a little “squidgy around the edges” as they age.