Helleborus can be propagated by division or seed. Dividing a plant yields fully identical plants. Propagation from seed, on the other hand, may in some cases result in significant differences between the seedlings and the mother plants.
Christmas Roses and Lenten Roses can be propagated from seed. Snow Roses are sterile and do not produce any seed. It takes Christmas Roses and Lenten Roses approximately four years from seed to flower.
Hellebores are best divided in early spring or autumn. Only hellebores that do not produce stems (acaulescent plants), can be propagated by division. Stemmed (caulescent) hellebores cannot be divided. Before lifting the plant with a spade or garden fork, tie the leaves together with a rope to avoid unnecessary damage to the plant or yourself. Some Lenten Rose varieties have leaves with a sharply serrated edge. Subsequently, dig out the plant with as large a root ball as possible.
Using two garden forks has proven to be the method of choice for dividing hellebore plants, depending on rhizome size. Drive one fork into the plant's root ball centre. Then place the other fork right behind the first one and move them carefully away from each other to divide the rhizome. For smaller plants, you can use a knife to carefully divide them.
Replant each new section immediately so that they don't dry out. The best method to avoid the plants being infested with diseases or populated by pests is to remove any leaves that were damaged during the division process.
