Hellebore Plant Companions
Evergreen plants make great hellebore companion plants, serving as a dark backdrop that makes the bright colors pop in contrast. Many shade-loving perennials are attractive companions for hellebores, as are bulbs that bloom in early spring. Hellebore also gets along well with woodland plants that share similar growing conditions. When selecting hellebore companion plants, beware of large or fast-growing plants that can be overwhelming when planted as hellebore companion plants. Although hellebores are long-lived, they are relatively slow growers that take time to spread. Here are just a handful of the many plants suitable for companion planting with hellebores: Evergreen ferns
Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), Zones 3-9 Japanese tassel fern (Polystichum polyblepharum), Zones 5-8 Hart’s tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium), Zones 5-9
Dwarf evergreen shrubs
Girard’s Crimson (Rhododendron ‘Girard’s Crimson’), Zones 5-8 Girard’s Fuschia (Rhododendron ‘Girard’s Fuschia’), Zones 5-8 Christmas box (Sarcococca confusa), Zones 6-8
Bulbs
Daffodils (Narcissus), Zones 3-8 Snowdrops (Galanthus), Zones 3-8 Crocus, Zones 3-8 Grape hyacinth (Muscari), Zones 3-9
Shade-loving perennials
Bleeding heart (Dicentra), Zones 3-9 Foxglove (Digitalis), Zones 4-8 Lungwort (Pulmonaria), Zones 3-8 Trillium, Zones 4-9 Hosta, Zones 3-9 Cyclamen (Cyclamen spp.), Zones 5-9 Wild ginger (Asarium spp.), Zones 3-7
