From our perspective, our life cycle is intrinsically tied to the seasons. We are evergreen perennials, meaning our foliage persists through winter, photosynthesizing on mild days to store energy for the coming year's growth and spectacular bloom display. The primary purpose of pruning is not to control our shape, as with a shrub, but to support our health and hygiene. The goal is to remove old, potentially diseased foliage to make way for new growth and to better showcase our flowers, preventing fungal issues like Botrytis or Coniothyrium hellebori (more commonly known as Black Death) from gaining a foothold in decaying matter.
Timing is critical for your intervention. The ideal moment for pruning is in late winter or very early spring, just as our new growth begins to emerge from the crown at the soil level. You will see these new shoots as tight, pale green or sometimes pinkish fists pushing their way upward. This is your signal. Pruning too early in winter removes the protective blanket our old leaves provide our crown against harsh freezes and desiccating winds. Pruning too late risks damaging the delicate new flower stalks and leaf stems that are easily broken, and it forces the new growth to waste energy pushing through the decaying old foliage.
The method of your cut is important for our well-being. Do not simply rip or tear our leaves away by hand, as this can create ragged wounds and risk damaging our crown. Instead, use a clean, sharp pair of bypass pruners or gardening scissors. Disinfect your tools with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water before moving to another plant to prevent the potential spread of disease. Make your cuts at the base of the leaf stem, as close to the crown as possible without nicking it. Remove every single old, worn-out leaf. This includes leaves that are tattered, yellowed, brown-spotted, or lying flat on the ground. Our new, upright growth will quickly fill the space.
After our flowers have faded, you may choose to deadhead the spent blooms. This is not mandatory for our health, as we are not prolific self-seeders like some perennials, but it serves two purposes. First, it encourages the plant to direct energy back into root and foliage development rather than seed production. Second, it maintains a tidier appearance in the garden. Simply snip off the old flower stem at its base. If you wish to enjoy our unique seed pods and potentially allow for some self-seeding, you can leave the flowers until the pods have fully formed and begun to dry.
