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Named for Helen
Ballard, credited with being one of the first to make the
cross, H. ballardiae is a hybrid from H. niger and H. lividus.
While pure H.
lividus is not usually hardy in our Zone 7 gardens, H. x ballardiae
has been in the gardens here for over ten years with
no problems.
While similar to some forms of H. x ericsmithii, we have found that
ballardiae usually has more pink in the flowers both shortly after
opening as well as fading to pinky mauve as H. xeriscmithii does.
Plants reach 10 to 15" in flower and up to 30" in diameter at
maturity.
We visited Joseph
at his nursery in 2004 when we were interviewing and photographing
breeders for our hellebore book and we were very impressed with the
collection of Helleborus niger, the larges we saw anywhere.
A wonderful 3 way cross between H. niger and H. xsternii (
H. argutifolius and H. lividus). We quite often have trouble
blooming H. x sternii in our Zone 7 garden. The cold will freeze the
stems and leave the flowers to bloom on leafless stalks. We do not
have this problem with H. x ericsmithii and quite honestly, I do not
know why this happens. We offer a number of clones since they can be
very different. Each time the cross is done the same parents are
used, the individual parent plants are particular to the
breeder. Therefore each named hybrid has a different
appearance , some have more pink, while others more cream in
flowers. Flower shape can be rounded as the niger parent or
more star shaped as the sternii parent. This is still untested
in US gardens so not much is known yet about hardiness, we know it
will succeed in zone 6-9, but should be carefully sited in
colder areas. H. x. ericsmithii is sterile and does not produce
seeds.
Helleborus x eric. 'Ivory Prince' (Walhelivor)
Helleborus
'Ivory Prince'
Created by David Tristram whose father is known for Helleborus niger
'Potters Wheel'. The plant is a hybrid between a seedling from H. niger
'Potter's Wheel Strain and a
niger/ xsternii hybrid also created by Tristam. Propagated by tissue
culture. Listed as hardy in zones 6 to 8. We have found this form to be
a most satisfactory garden plant as well as a great container
plant. 4"
$10.00 qt.
$20.00
Helleborus x eric. 'Pink Beauty' aka 'Micha Pink
Beauty' Helleborus
'Pink Beauty'
A heavily flowering selection of H. xericsmithii from the European
tissue culture labs. 'Pink Beauty' has more pink in the stems and
flowers than 'Ivory Prince' to my eyes . We have grown this in our
gardens for many years.
4"
$10.00 qt. $20.00
Helleborus x
eric. 'Candy Love' Helleborus 'Candy
Love'
New tc clone from Het
Wilgenbroek in Belgium. This selection has large flowers white
flowers which age to deep pink.
4"
$10.00 qt. $20.00
Helleborus x eric. 'Silvermoon' Helleborus
'Silvermoon'
This clone from Japan has been a nice addition to our gardens for the
last few years. Large rounded creamy blooms age to pink.
Foliage is a nice blued
green.
4"
$10.00 qt. $20.00
Helleborus x
eric. 'Winter Moonbeam' Helleborus 'Winter Moonbeam'
Another new cross with lovely foliage that shows
the veining inherited from the lividus ancestor. Flowers are creamy with
green
centers
aging dusty mauve. 4"
$10.00 qt. $20.00
Helleborus x eric. 'Winter
Sunshine'
Helleborus 'Winter Sunshine'
Companion to 'Winter Moonbeam'
this form has very different foliage and flower form.
4"
$10.00 qt. $20.
phone 434-252-1990
fax 434-252-0768
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