How to Divide Helleborus

The Helleborus genus of plants covers a wide range of pretty plants, perennials from Asia and Europe.  They typically have a bisexual flower and five sepals. Leaves are going to be in leaflets. One of the best ways to propagate a helleborus is to divide.

Things You’ll Need

• Shovel or garden rake


• Compost or fertilizer


• Water

1. Wait until late spring or early fall to divide your helleborus, as it is the best time to uproot the plant. 


2. Take a shovel or garden rake and gently uproot the plant, getting as much of the root ball as you can. You will need to dig out deeper than the height of the plant, due to the extensive root system on these plants. 


3. Shake off the excess dirt around the roots or gently rinse the dirt away. This will give you a better chance to really look at the roots and see where you’ll need to make the divisions. 


4. Lay the root ball down onto the ground and grab the shovel. 


5. Take the shovel and bring down onto the plant, cutting off a section of the roots and the plant material. Make sure you are cutting a large enough section with a good viable root system. 


6. Take the new plant and dig a hole a bit deeper than the height of the plant. 


7. Add compost to the hole and place the plant into the hole, with the crown about the soil level. 


8. Bring the dirt back around the plant and water.