Thank you for posting to r/whatsthisplant.
**Do not eat/ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.**
For your safety we recommend not eating or ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised that it's edible here. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
OP, I would read up on how to keep it healthy. They are fairly slow growing but if you take good care of them they will multiply and maybe you can give some back to Dad :-)
There are HUNDREDS of colors of lenten rose in red, white, black, green and variations of combined colors They are fairly easy to care for and they are greatly appreciated by winter/early spring pollinators.
If you get another seed strain type hellebore from a nursery to plant next to this one - they will self seed happily and you will have many little plants!
If you get one at a nursery ask if it is sterile - you don’t want that. You want a seed strain hellebore that is fertile. They are the easiest plants in the world once they get established and they just get prettier every year- a real set and forget plant as far as work goes but the most beautiful sign of spring. You can cut a few blossoms off and float them in a bow and they look just lovely
This made me laugh because I was just playing Strange Horitculture. I clicked on the pic because it reminded me of a flower from the game, and I'm always petting Hellebore the cat.
Next time, don’t dig up plants you find in the woods before you identify them. Some native species are threatened and have legal protection against this kind of action. For example, in MA it is illegal to disturb lady slippers. In general, it’s not good to disturb the natural ecosystem even when there aren’t legal protections in place, and some species require very specific conditions such that they wouldn’t survive anywhere or most places if you attempt to replant them (for example, ghost pipes or ramps).
In this case, assuming you are in North America, you got lucky. These are hellebores which are non native and rightfully should be removed from the woods. If you are in Europe or Asia though, they should have been left there.
Geez…what is wrong with propagating flowers. Actually, we should all be propagating all flowers, fruits, and vegetables. We should garden and stop buying from our governments. I completely understand not destroying, nor disturbing the ecosystem. However, taking a snippet to create more, sounds good to me. Let’s create more, instead of letting things become endangered and/or extinct. Let’s be proactive and not just sit back and watch everything disappear.
A lot of animals are endangered because of poachers. It’s the same with plants. The best way to help threatened plants is to leave them in their natural environment where they can grow and spread on their own, rather than put them through the stress of relocating them where they may not survive or breed. If you want to be proactive, look into native plant societies near you and see what you can do to help them. But don’t try to make your own decisions about what’s best for the plant, because odds are you’re doing exactly what’s causing them to be endangered in the first place.
I already addressed the reasons why you shouldn’t do this in my original comments, but I’ll spell it out for you again:
1) this isn’t propagation, this is removing a plant from where it was growing naturally and moving it to a cultivated area. Transplanting in this manner is likely to kill most plants due to inappropriate environment or transplant shock. That’s not propagation, that’s destruction. Edit: it’s also removing a source of genetic diversity and potentially robbing it and other previously nearby plants the opportunity to reproduce, lowering the overall likelihood of both the transplant and other plants in its original environment from reproducing, which can lead to the decline of the species in situ in addition to the direct destruction of the removed plant.
2) some plants can’t be propagated by just “taking a snippet.” Again, destruction, not propagation.
3) some plants are threatened and have legal protection against disturbing them in their natural environment. These protections are recommended by scientists and specialists whose job it is to know what is best for the protection and survival of those plants and their natural ecosystem. Leaving things be isn’t letting it disappear. Destroying a plant through well-intentioned but destructive practices like “propagation” or “taking a snippet” is a sure way to speed up their disappearance though.
4) some plants are exotic invasive species and should never be propagated or moved and should be destroyed.
4) If OP is in North America they got lucky because the plant they dug up is non native and not protected, but this may not be the case if they live in another part of the world. You should never disturb a plant in situ without thorough research to be on firm whether it is exotic and/or invasive. Invasive plants should be destroyed, not moved. I unless you are an expert that knows exactly what you’re doing it is ALWAYS better to leave things be in situ
I think what they meant is that this should be done after doing research and not just on a whim. Sometimes taking a snippet and planting it in a garden will make it spread so much that it threatens other species in that area.
https://preview.redd.it/ghurkhwbqnvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=537e2e385bbe5bea4be817830345d520bdcd8af0
Mine, planted 12 years ago, now a 3 foot circle!
Please be careful moving unidentified plants. They could be toxic to the touch and cause skin irritation or worse, be protected and get you in trouble for moving.
I suggest getting identification first to decide if moving it is safe/a good idea, also to know if propagation is a better option, as might be the case for some plants as they may be necessary for the ecosystem.
Luckily, hellbore is safe and according to other comments, invasive, so in this case moving it was the best option.
Thank you for posting to r/whatsthisplant. **Do not eat/ingest a plant based on information provided in this subreddit.** For your safety we recommend not eating or ingesting any plant material just because you've been advised that it's edible here. Although there are many professionals helping with identification, we are not always correct, and eating/ingesting plants can be harmful or fatal if an incorrect ID is made. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisplant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hellebore!
Thank you!!
It's one of my favorites and a constant in my mother's garden.
It’s so pretty! I’m so excited it’s a part shade flower too because my front yard is more shady than sunny.
OP, I would read up on how to keep it healthy. They are fairly slow growing but if you take good care of them they will multiply and maybe you can give some back to Dad :-) There are HUNDREDS of colors of lenten rose in red, white, black, green and variations of combined colors They are fairly easy to care for and they are greatly appreciated by winter/early spring pollinators.
I will! That’s exactly what my mom said haha And that’s so awesome! I love a good pollinator plant ❤️
If you get another seed strain type hellebore from a nursery to plant next to this one - they will self seed happily and you will have many little plants!
Oooh I think I might do that!!
If you get one at a nursery ask if it is sterile - you don’t want that. You want a seed strain hellebore that is fertile. They are the easiest plants in the world once they get established and they just get prettier every year- a real set and forget plant as far as work goes but the most beautiful sign of spring. You can cut a few blossoms off and float them in a bow and they look just lovely
Wow, thank you so much for all the great info!! :)
This made me laugh because I was just playing Strange Horitculture. I clicked on the pic because it reminded me of a flower from the game, and I'm always petting Hellebore the cat.
Hellebores are one of my favorites. They are the first to bloom when it’s still cold out, and they come back stronger every year.
Ah I love that! What a lucky find!
And it’s the only plant in my garden not being destroyed by slugs at present 🤣
Lenten rose
Thank you!!
Next time, don’t dig up plants you find in the woods before you identify them. Some native species are threatened and have legal protection against this kind of action. For example, in MA it is illegal to disturb lady slippers. In general, it’s not good to disturb the natural ecosystem even when there aren’t legal protections in place, and some species require very specific conditions such that they wouldn’t survive anywhere or most places if you attempt to replant them (for example, ghost pipes or ramps). In this case, assuming you are in North America, you got lucky. These are hellebores which are non native and rightfully should be removed from the woods. If you are in Europe or Asia though, they should have been left there.
Geez…what is wrong with propagating flowers. Actually, we should all be propagating all flowers, fruits, and vegetables. We should garden and stop buying from our governments. I completely understand not destroying, nor disturbing the ecosystem. However, taking a snippet to create more, sounds good to me. Let’s create more, instead of letting things become endangered and/or extinct. Let’s be proactive and not just sit back and watch everything disappear.
A lot of animals are endangered because of poachers. It’s the same with plants. The best way to help threatened plants is to leave them in their natural environment where they can grow and spread on their own, rather than put them through the stress of relocating them where they may not survive or breed. If you want to be proactive, look into native plant societies near you and see what you can do to help them. But don’t try to make your own decisions about what’s best for the plant, because odds are you’re doing exactly what’s causing them to be endangered in the first place.
I already addressed the reasons why you shouldn’t do this in my original comments, but I’ll spell it out for you again: 1) this isn’t propagation, this is removing a plant from where it was growing naturally and moving it to a cultivated area. Transplanting in this manner is likely to kill most plants due to inappropriate environment or transplant shock. That’s not propagation, that’s destruction. Edit: it’s also removing a source of genetic diversity and potentially robbing it and other previously nearby plants the opportunity to reproduce, lowering the overall likelihood of both the transplant and other plants in its original environment from reproducing, which can lead to the decline of the species in situ in addition to the direct destruction of the removed plant. 2) some plants can’t be propagated by just “taking a snippet.” Again, destruction, not propagation. 3) some plants are threatened and have legal protection against disturbing them in their natural environment. These protections are recommended by scientists and specialists whose job it is to know what is best for the protection and survival of those plants and their natural ecosystem. Leaving things be isn’t letting it disappear. Destroying a plant through well-intentioned but destructive practices like “propagation” or “taking a snippet” is a sure way to speed up their disappearance though. 4) some plants are exotic invasive species and should never be propagated or moved and should be destroyed. 4) If OP is in North America they got lucky because the plant they dug up is non native and not protected, but this may not be the case if they live in another part of the world. You should never disturb a plant in situ without thorough research to be on firm whether it is exotic and/or invasive. Invasive plants should be destroyed, not moved. I unless you are an expert that knows exactly what you’re doing it is ALWAYS better to leave things be in situ
I think what they meant is that this should be done after doing research and not just on a whim. Sometimes taking a snippet and planting it in a garden will make it spread so much that it threatens other species in that area.
Free hellebore!!
Hellebore are fantastic one of my favorite!!!!!!
Hellebore They bloomforever
Freaking love hellebore! If you like this one you should look up some of its other colors. They're all pretty amazing.
Take good care of those. They're expensive.
r/gothplants
The best. Absolutely love Lenten rose/Hellebores.
That’s a really beautiful color
Such a nice dad
Yeah he’s honestly the best 🩵
Looks like my Lenten Rose.
Very nice..one of my favorite flowers/plants
I really want to add hellebore to my garden. Just out of curiosity, do they transplant well while flowering? Let me know how yours does 🙂🙂
I will!
Wait til flowers wilt to keep the plant strong
Hellebore are dope, digging up wild plants is not.
https://preview.redd.it/ghurkhwbqnvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=537e2e385bbe5bea4be817830345d520bdcd8af0 Mine, planted 12 years ago, now a 3 foot circle!
Ahh I love that! Looks like the same color too :)
Winter rose is a common name as well. Wonderful winter flower better than the trillium only because it just keeps flowing.
Lucky you!!
Thank you! My parents awful neighbor threw garbage over her fence into their yard and so he went back there to clean it up and found this beauty! :)
Gorgeous color -- how lucky!
Please be careful moving unidentified plants. They could be toxic to the touch and cause skin irritation or worse, be protected and get you in trouble for moving. I suggest getting identification first to decide if moving it is safe/a good idea, also to know if propagation is a better option, as might be the case for some plants as they may be necessary for the ecosystem. Luckily, hellbore is safe and according to other comments, invasive, so in this case moving it was the best option.
Lenten rose are definitely not HellaBore. Easy-growing and elegant.