Why Does My Hellebore Flowers Look Sickly?

Are the leaves stems and buds distorted?

Have the leaves been tunneled?

Do the leaves have large, ragged holes in them?

Do the leaves have notched edges?

Do the leaves, stems, and flowers have light-colored spots?

Do the leaves and stems have black to brown spots on them, flower buds may be rotted looking?

Does the whole plant look stunted or deformed, black lesions are formed on plant tissue and black streaking on the foliage?

Distorted stems, buds, and leaves are caused by aphids. These tiny insects can vary in color, green, pink, black, gray to completely white. They cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

Leafminers are known pests on hellebore plants. These tiny pale green fly larvae feed between the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves. Prune off and destroy all infested leaves. Remove debris in fall because it might contain overwintering leafminers. Introducing parasitic wasps is a very effective method of controlling leafminers.

Large, ragged holes in the leaves are caused by slugs and snails. Slugs and snails feed on the plant leaves usually at night. To control slugs and snails use diatomaceous earth around your plants. You can also handpick them during the night or use shallow dishes filled with beer as a trap.

Notched edges on the leaves are caused by Black vine weevils. The wingless, black bugs with yellow markings are adults that feed on the leaves of hellebores. To control them, spread a drop cloth around your plant and shake it so the adults drop. You can get rid of them after that. Spray leaves several times with pyrethrin for major infestations.

Leaves, stems, and flowers infected with fungal disease, Downy mildew, have spots covered with white fuzzy growth on the undersides. Spray plants with copper when symptoms first appear. Thin your flowers to increase airflow between them.

If your flower leaves have black to brown spots on them they are most likely fungal leaf spots. Remove and destroy all infected leaves. Thin plants and avoid crowding future plantings. Water hellebores from below. Clean up all plant debris around your flowers to remove overwintering sites.

Your hellebore flowers are suffering from a viral disease - Hellebore Black Death. Unfortunately, there is no cure or treatment. Infected plants should be dug up and destroyed to prevent the spread of this harmful disease.

Some environmental issues may have caused your hellebore flowers sickly look. Plant them in partial shade, such as that found under deciduous trees, in moist, well-drained, neutral soil rich in organic matter. Maintain even soil moisture with a summer mulch. The brittle rhizomes make this plant difficult to divide or transplant. If you must move them, do so with care.