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Gardening Tips

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Lenten Roses (Helleborus Orientalis)

Helleborus Orientalis is one of the earliest flowering perennials. It blooms in February or March and is seen as a true harbinger of spring. Because it usually blooms during Lent, Helleborus Orientalis is called Lenten Rose. People living in places where winter is severe, plant Helleborus near the kitchen window, patio or walkway so that they can enjoy the early bloom to their hearts’ content.

Belonging to the ‘Ranunculaceae Family,’ HELLEBORUS, a Eurasian genus, consists of approximately twenty species of herbaceous or evergreen perennial flowering plants. The name Helleborus is derived from the Greek words elein meaning ‘to injure’ and bora meaning ‘food,’ a direct reference to the fact that the leaves, stems and roots of Helleborus plant are poisonous to humans if ingested. The sap may cause skin irritation as well.

Lenten Roses are in fact cultivars that are hybrids between Helleborus Orientalis and other species. Their flowers last for a few months and are available in a range of whites, yellows, pinks, and purples, often spotted or with darker edges. Most varieties of Lenten Roses are evergreen, with large, toothed, divided leaves. They prefer semi-shade and moisture retentive, well-drained and neutral to alkaline soil. They flourish in the shade of high-branched trees or on the north or east side of buildings. However, they need protection from strong, winter winds. Lenten Roses naturally hybridize and self seed. Most deciduous species retain their old leaves over winter. These leaves should be cut off in early spring as flower buds develop. They are excellent in woodland gardens. Ashwood Garden hybrids, Bradfield hybrids and Harvington hybrids are some of the common Helleborus Orientalis subspecies that are available as Lenten Roses.  Typically sold in autumn, Helleborus can be planted year round and Southern Wood Fern is a good companion plant for it. 

Celebrated in songs and stories, Helleborus Niger (Black Hellebore) is commonly known as Christmas Rose as it blooms in winter. It too is an evergreen perennial with large, bowl shaped glistening white flowers with golden stamens. They grow in zone 4 to 8 and ‘HGC Jacob’, ‘HGC Josef Lemper’ and ‘Potter’s Wheel’ are some of the common species of Christmas Roses. 

The 2019 Edition of Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers, edited by Christopher Brickell lists some of the following Helleborus species:

Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘Bob’s Best’ is an evergreen, clump-forming perennial with toothed, green leaves flushed in pewter and divided into 3-5 leaflets. From midwinter to late spring it bears saucer-shaped, pink-tinted, white flowers. It prefers partial shade, well-drained soil and is fit for zones 6 to 9.

Helleborus Argutifolius, synonymously called Helleborus Corsicus or Corsican Hellebore is an evergreen, clump forming perennial. It has divided, spiny, dark green leaves. Cup-shaped, pale green flowers are borne in large clusters in winter and spring. This species grows in zone 6 to 9.

Helleborus Lividus is a subspecies of Helleborus Argutifollius. It is an evergreen, clump-forming perennial. It has three-lobed, mid green leaves, marbled pale green, and purplish-green below with obliquely ovate, slightly toothed or entire leaflets. It produces large clusters of cup-shaped, purple-suffused, yellow-green flowers in late winter. This species grows in zone 8 and 9.

Helleborus Odorus is a semi-evergreen, clump-forming perennial with deeply divided, deep green basal leaves, hairy beneath with five central leaflets. From early winter to early spring this species bears clusters of three to five fragrant, saucer-shaped, bright green to yellow-green flowers. It prefers partial shade and moist soil and grows in zones 4 to 8.

Helleborus Foetidus (Stinking Hellebore) is an evergreen, clump-forming perennial with deeply divided, dark green leaves. In late winter and early spring panicles of cup-shaped, red-margined, pale green flowers bloom on this plant. It prefers partial shade and well-drained soil and grows in zones 6 to 9.

Helleborus Foetidus Wester Flisk Group is an evergreen, semiwoody perennial. In winter and spring it bears small cup-shaped, purple-rimmed pale green flowers on floppy, red-green stems. It has red-stalked, dark gray green leaves divided into slender, slighted toothed leaflets. It prefers partial shade and moist soil and grows in zones 6 to 9.  

Helleborus x Sternii (Boughton Beauty) is an evergreen, clump-forming perennial with purple-pink stems and divided veined, mid green leaves. It winter and early spring it bears cup-shaped, pink-purple flowers with green insides in terminal clusters. This species prefers partial shade and moist soil and is fit for zones 5 to 8.

Helleborus Cyclophyllus is a clump-forming perennial with palmate, deeply divided, bright green leaves. In early spring, this species produces shallowly cup-shaped, yellow-green flowers with prominent, yellowish-white stamens. It prefers partial shade and moist soil and grows in zones 6 to 9.  

Helleborus Niger (Potter’s Wheel) is an evergreen, clump-forming perennial with divided, deep green leaves. In winter or early spring it bears cup-shaped, nodding, pure white flowers with overlapping petals and green “eyes.” This plant prefers partial shade and well-drained soil and is fit for zones 4 to 8.

Helleborus Niger (HGC Joseph Lemper) is an evergreen, clump-forming, upright perennial with divided, rich dark green leaves. From mid-fall to late winter it bears slightly fragrant, rounded, pure white flowers with overlapping petals on sturdy stems. This plant prefers partial shade and well-drained soil and is fit for zones 4 to 8.

Helleborus Nigercors (Emma) is a compact, evergreen, clump-forming perennial. It has matte green leaves. It freely bears branched clusters of saucer-shaped white flowers that age to grayish-pink from midwinter to early spring. It prefers partial shade and well-drained soil and is fit for zone 4 to 9.

Helleborus Astrorubens of Gardens or synonymously known as ‘Early Purple Groups’ is a clump-forming perennial and has palmate, deeply divided, toothed, glossy, dark green leaves. It is a subspecies of Helleborus Orientalis Abchasicus. In late winter it bears shallowly cup-shaped, deep purple flowers. It is fit for zones 4 to 8.

Helleborus Purpurascens is a neat clump-forming perennial. In early spring it bears small, nodding, cup-shaped, deep purple or green flowers splashed with deep purple on outside. It has dark green leaves that are palmate and deeply divided into narrowly lance-shaped, toothed segments. This plant prefers partial shade and moist soil and is fit for zones 4 to 8.

Hellebore Thibethanus is a clump-forming perennial with palmate mid-green leaves deeply divided into 7 to 9 toothed lobes. In late winter and early spring it bears deeply cup-shaped flowers that vary from white to white with pink veins, which darken with age. This plant prefers partial shade and moist soil and is fit for zones 5 to 8.

Helleborus Viridis (Green Hellebore) is a deciduous clump-forming perennial that has dark divided green leaves. Fit for zones 6 to 9, this plant bears cup-shaped green flowers.

Though Helleborus Orientalis is called Lenten Rose and Helleborus Niger is called Christmas Rose, this perennial is not a rose at all. It is called as such because the flowers somewhat resemble a small single rose and bloom in early spring. Lenten Rose symbolizes serenity, tranquility and peace. On the other hand, it can also represent a scandal or anxiety. Christmas rose, on the other hand, represents purity. That is why it has often been carved into confessionals as a five-petal flower. The symbolic significance being a penitent who goes into the confessional to seek forgiveness for sins, walks away having his or her purity restored.

By Marshal and Jane Upasi

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Fountain Maintenance

Here is how one needs to take proper care of all cast stone fountains:

Ensure that the pump always remains submerged. In order to do that consistently fill the fountain and maintain a proper water level. When the water level is too low, the pump runs the risk of being damaged. The frequency of filling the water depends on water flow and specific weather conditions in which the fountain runs. Proper fountain performance also depends on appropriate water level.

Pump inflow needs to be kept free of debris to ensure proper water inflow. Cleaning it periodically will let your pump last longer.

Use a mild soap and a soft bristle brush if the fountain requires a cleaning. Do not use bleach as it may affect the patina.

Hyams Garden Center carries “Algaecides” if one needs to combat the buildup of algae.

Hyams Garden Center is always ready take your calls ( 843-795-4570) if you have any questions concerning your fountain. For problems that cannot be remedied over the telephone, an onsite visit can be scheduled. You will be charged a minimum $50 fee for each onsite consult.   

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Maintaining a Healthy Hydrangea

The beautiful Hydrangea is a spectacular, colorful, floral display that adds charm and grace to any summer garden. Hydrangea derived its name from two Greek words, namely, hydr (water) and angeion (vessel). Water vessel is such a fitting name for hydrangea as this flower requires constant moisture to stay happy, healthy and blooming.  However, getting the balance right is crucial to its health and survival.

There are some common signs and symptoms to look for in order to provide the best environment for your Hydrangea to thrive.

  1. Leaf Curl indicates that the plant has either been water deprived or is suffering from a disease.
  2. A sudden onset of ‘Yellowing of Leaves’ which then turn brown and fall off can indicate three things, namely, (a) the plant has become too dry; (b) the plant has become too wet; (c) the plant has received too much fertilizer.

Any of these three events can cause damage to the plant’s root system. If a plant has dried out, thoroughly soak the root ball, then make sure the soil is able to drain well. Allow time for soil to dry out slightly before the next watering. If conditions are favorable, roots will regenerate. A plant should be healthy before adding any fertilizer. Too much fertilizer can burn roots causing leaves to brown.

3. Leaf Spots are usually caused by fungus or bacteria.

(a) Cercospora Leaf Spot – Caused by a fungus, produces purple or brown colored leaf spots at the base of the plant.

(b) Anthracnose – Caused by a fungus, creates large brown, yellowish or black spots on leaves and flowers. If not properly attended to, this can be fatal to a hydrangea. Remove and destroy infected plant parts to discourage spreading of spores.

(c) Leaf Rust – Caused by a waterborne fungus, Pucciniastrum hydrangea, creates orange spots on the undersides of leaves.

(d) Bacterial Leaf Spots – Caused by the pathogen Xanthomonas campestris, produces spots that are either red or purple in color usually appearing on the leaves at the base of the plant. Spots by the leaf veins have an angular appearance.

4. Powdery Mildew – Caused by a fungus, appears as a powdery gray coating on leaves.

For fungal and bacterial mitigation, make sure there is enough air circulation around the plant. Cut back dried blooms and affected leaves. Keep the ground under the plant free from dead leaf and bloom debris. Water plant at the base rather than overhead to discourage moisture accumulation on the leaves. Fungicides can also be used. Apply in Spring and Mid-Summer. Application frequency depends on the severity of the case. Consult the product packaging for details.

BONIDE Revitalize Biofungicide is a broad-spectrum preventive biofungicide and bactericide. It utilizes the power of a naturally occurring beneficial bacterium, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain D747, to control and suppress fungal and bacterial diseases in plants. This bacterium triggers the plant’s immune response to fight off pathogens. It will also colonize plant roots, which prevents fungi and bacteria from establishing there.

Diseases controlled by this product:

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum species), Bacterial leaf blights, spots and specks (Erwinia, Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas species), Black Mold, Brown Spot, Black Crown Rot (Alternaria species). Black Spot of roses (Diplocarpon rosae), Gray Mold, Botrytis blight, Fruit Rot (Botrytisspecies), Leaf spots (Alternaria, Cercospora, Entomosporium, Helminthosporium, Myrothecium and Septoris species) and Powdery Mildews. (Podosphaera, Erysiphe, Golovinomyces, Sphaerotheca and Oidium species; Uncinula necator, Oidiopsis taurica and Leveillula taurica).

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Diseases of the Lawn

Now is a good time to get the jump on lawn diseases. Besides applying fungicides there are several cultural practices that can help prevent them. Three most common diseases that affect the lawns are: gray leaf spot, brown patch and dollar spot. The beauty of a lawn can be quickly destroyed by these fungal diseases.

Gray Leaf Spot on St. Augustine grass

Gray leaf spot is a fungal disease that occurs most commonly on St. Augustine grass. The initial leaf spots are small and brown, but they expand rapidly into large, oval or elongate, tan to gray leaf spots, which are surrounded by purple or brown borders. A yellow halo may surround some of the spots, or a general leaf yellowing may occur.

During warm, humid weather the fungus produces a grayish mycelium (cottony fungal growth) and numerous spores on dying foliage, which gives a grayish appearance to the spots. Blades of grass will wither and die if leaf spots are numerous. Under favorable conditions for disease development, large areas of turf may appear to be scorched, resembling extreme drought stress.

Gray leaf spot is favored when temperatures are between 77 and 86 °F during the day and above 65 °F at night, and is most severe during rainy, humid periods. The fungus survives dry summer conditions as fungal mycelium and spores on dead foliage and in the thatch layer. When favorable conditions of moisture and high humidity return during the summer, the fungus produces an abundance of spores that are spread by wind, splashing rainfall or irrigation, and the movement of lawn equipment on wet grass.

How to Manage Gray Leaf Spot Disease of the Lawn?

  • Reduce thatch layer.
  • Irrigate deeply, but infrequently. This generally means one time per week with one inch of water. Always irrigate in the morning, which promotes quick drying of the foliage.
  • Avoid using post-emergent weed killers on the lawn while the disease is active.
  • Avoid medium to high nitrogen fertilizer levels.
  • Improve air circulation and light level on lawn. Limb up over-hanging trees and prune back nearby shrubs.
  • Mow at the proper height and only mow when the grass is dry. Bag and dispose of grass clippings if disease is present.
  • Control chinch bug infestations.
  • Use fungicide treatments as needed along with proper turf grass culture.

Brown Patch and Large Patch Diseases of Lawns

Brown patch and large patch are serious fungal diseases (each caused by different strains of Rhizoctonia solani) that can affect all South Carolina lawn grasses. Disease can develop rapidly when daytime temperatures are warm (75 to 90 °F) and humid, nighttime temperatures are above 60 ºF, and there is an extended period of leaf wetness. Generally, symptoms of brown patch begin on cool-season grasses (tall fescue, ryegrass, bluegrass and bent grass) during the late spring. It may also occur on these grasses during warmer periods of the winter months. Warm-season grasses (St. Augustine grass, zoysia grass, Bermuda grass and centipede grass) most commonly are affected by large patch (formerly also known as brown patch) during the early spring and late fall.

Symptoms of brown and large patch diseases may vary greatly with the type of grass and soil conditions. The diseases usually cause thinned patches of light brown grass that are roughly circular in shape. These areas range in diameter from a few inches to several feet. Often the center of the patch will recover, resulting in a doughnut-shaped pattern.

When disease conditions are favorable, large areas of the lawn may be uniformly thinned and eventually killed with no circular patch being evident. This type of pattern is commonly seen on infected St. Augustine grass grown in shady, moist locations.

All types of warm-season or cool-season lawn grasses grown in South Carolina can be affected by large patch or brown patch, respectively.

Prevention & Treatment of Brown Path Disease of the Lawn

The best way to prevent brown patch or large patch in the home lawn is by following good lawn care practices. This is much easier and less expensive than the use of fungicides and can be very effective.

  • Avoid high rates of nitrogen fertilizer on cool-season grasses in the late spring and summer. Avoid high nitrogen rates on warm-season grasses in mid to late fall or in early spring. The disease-causing fungus readily attacks the lush growth of grass which nitrogen promotes. Avoid fast-release forms of nitrogen fertilizer.
  • Irrigate grass only when needed and to a depth of 4 to 6 inches (generally 1 inch of irrigation water per week), but do not subject the lawn to drought conditions. Water early in the morning. This disease can spread fast when free moisture is present, especially greater than 10 hours.
  • Avoid spreading the disease to other areas. Remove clippings if the weather is warm and moist to prevent spread to other areas during mowing.
  • Keep lawns mowed on a regular basis to the proper height for the grass species you are growing. Lower than optimum mowing height can increase disease severity. Do not mow fescue lawns shorter than 2½ inches high, nor higher than 3½ inches. Mow centipede at 1½ inches high.
  • Provide good drainage for both surface and subsurface areas. Correct soil compaction by core aeration. Prevent excessive thatch buildup.
  • Have the soil tested and apply lime according to test recommendations. Disease may be more severe if the soil pH is less than 6.0. Keep potassium (K) level at upper end of sufficient rating on soil test.

Fungicides can be difficult to rely upon for controlling brown patch and large patch in the home lawn, but regular applications can vastly improve appearance. A good “rule of thumb” to follow on either cool- or warm-season grasses is to initiate fungicide sprays when nighttime low temperatures reach 60 °F. Stop applications when nighttime lows are forecast to be below 60 °F for five consecutive days. Typically, applications are made at 14- to 28-day intervals, depending upon the fungicide. If disease is severe enough to warrant chemical control, select one of the following fungicides listed in Table 1.

It will help in disease control to alternate fungicides used with subsequent applications to prevent a buildup of resistance to a fungicide. Slightly better control may be obtained by a liquid fungicide application rather than by granular application of the same fungicide active ingredient. Granular fungicides must be irrigated after application (follow label directions).

Dollar Spot Disease of the Lawns

Dollar spot is caused by a fungus. It causes straw-colored spots about the size of a silver dollar (2 to 6 inches diameter) to appear on closely mowed turf. Grass in affected areas may die and the spots may merge to form larger, irregular patches. In coarse textured grass that is cut high, the dead spots are larger and more diffuse. Leaf blades have light tan spots with reddish-brown margins that develop across the leaves. Early in the morning you may be able to see a cobweb-like growth of the fungus over the infected area.

Dollar spot most commonly occurs on Bermuda grass, zoysia grass and centipede grass. Dollar spot is most active from late spring through fall. The fungus develops during humid weather, when daytime temperatures are warm (59 to 86 °F) and nights are fairly cool. These conditions result in heavy dew forming on the grass.

Prevention & Treatment of Dollar Spot Disease:

Adequate fertilization will help the lawn overcome this disease. Prevent thatch buildup and remove excess thatch. Avoid drought stress by watering the lawn deeply, and thoroughly when needed, timing irrigation for early morning. Remove morning dew if possible by mowing or irrigating the lawn. Fungicide applications may be needed during moist weather in the spring and fall, when day temperatures are between 70 to 80 °F. For the home lawn, fungicides that give good control of dollar spot should contain propiconazole, azoxystrobin with propiconazole, or triadimefon. Always apply all chemicals according to directions on the product label.

[For more information go to Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and garden Information Center at http://hgic.clemson.edu/]