Helleborus plant named ‘HL 1076’

[0001] Botanical designation: Helleborus x niger X Helleborus x hybridus.

[0002] Cultivar denomination: ‘HL 1076’.

[0003] A European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Inventor/Applicant, Mr. Josef Heuger of Glandorf, Germany, on Nov. 30, 2024, application number 2024/2910. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

[0004] A United Kingdom Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Inventor/Applicant, Mr. Josef Heuger of Glandorf, Germany, on Aug. 29, 2025, application number 30/992. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

[0005] The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus x niger X Helleborus x hybridus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘HL 1076’.

[0006] The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new uniform Helleborus plants with unique leaf and flower coloration and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.

[0007] The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany in January, 2016 of a proprietary selection of Helleborus x niger identified as code number 001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent and a proprietary selection of Helleborus x hybridus identified as code number 14-12, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany in December, 2017.

[0008] Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by in vitro axillary meristem culture in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany since March, 2019 has shown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

[0009] Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

[0010] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘HL 1076’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HL 1076’ as a new and distinct Helleborus plant:

• • [0011] 1. Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.
  • [0012] 2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.
  • [0013] 3. Dark green-colored leaflets.
  • [0014] 4. Freely flowering habit.
  • [0015] 5. Flowers with white-colored sepals with purplish red-colored margins.
  • [0016] 6. Good garden performance.

[0017] Plants of the new Helleborus differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • [0018] 1. Leaflets of plants of the new Helleborus are lighter green in color than leaflets of plants of the female parent selection.
  • [0019] 2. Flower sepals of plants of the new Helleborus are white in color with purplish red-colored margins whereas flower sepals of plants of the female parent selection are solid white in color.

[0020] Plants of the new Helleborus differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

• • [0021] 1. Plants of the new Helleborus are not as vigorous as plants of the male parent selection.
  • [0022] 2. Leaflets of plants of the new Helleborus are darker green in color than leaflets of plants of the male parent selection.

[0023] Plants of the new Helleborus can also be compared to plants of Helleborus x niger X Helleborus x hybridus ‘HL 1010’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 34,932. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Helleborus differ primarily from plants of ‘HL 1010’ in the following characteristics:

• • [0024] 1. Leaflets of plants of the new Helleborus are lighter green in color than leaflets of plants of ‘HL 1010’.
  • [0025] 2. Flower sepals of plants of the new Helleborus are white in color with purplish red-colored margins whereas flower sepals of plants of ‘HL 1010’ are purplish red in color.

[0030] The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in 17-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Helleborus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 12° C. Plants were 48 weeks old when the photographs were taken and 14 months old when the detailed description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Sixth Edition (2019 reprint), except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

• [0031] Botanical classification: Helleborus x niger X Helleborus x hybridus ‘HL 1076’.
• [0032] Parentage:
  • • [0033] Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Helleborus x niger identified as code number 001, not patented.
    • [0034] Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Helleborus x hybridus identified as code number 14-12, not patented.
• [0035] Propagation:
  • • [0036] Type.—In vitro axillary meristem culture.
    • [0037] Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 55 days at temperatures about 12° C.
    • [0038] Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 170 days at temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to 15° C.
    • [0039] Root description.—Thick to thin, fleshy; typically white to brownish in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.
    • [0040] Rooting habit.—Low branching; sparse.
• [0041] Plant description:
  • • [0042] Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit with flowers held above the foliar plane; plant shape, roughly flattened globular to globular; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.
    • [0043] Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19.3 cm.
    • [0044] Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 26.1 cm.
    • [0045] Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 32.1 cm.
• [0046] Leaf description:
  • • [0047] Arrangement.—Leaves arranged in basal rosettes; leaves palmately compound with typically five leaflets per leaf.
    • [0048] Leaf length.—About 13.1 cm.
    • [0049] Leaf width.—About 13.1 cm.
    • [0050] Leaflet length.—About 7.4 cm.
    • [0051] Leaflet width.—About 4.7 cm.
    • [0052] Leaf shape.—Palmate; roughly reniform in outline.
    • [0053] Leaflet shape.—Broadly elliptic to elliptic-obovate; lowest leaflets typically cleft.
    • [0054] Leaflet apex.—Acute.
    • [0055] Leaflet base.—Attenuate.
    • [0056] Leaflet margin.—Serrate; coarsely undulate.
    • [0057] Leaflet texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; coriaceous and tough; moderately glossy.
    • [0058] Leaflet texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; coriaceous and tough; slightly glossy.
    • [0059] Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate and reticulate.
    • [0060] Leaflet color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to 138A; at the base, main veins, close to 187B. Developing leaflets, lower surface: Close to a blend of 138B and 147C; main veins, closet to 187B. Fully developed leaflets, upper surface: Close to N189A; at the base, tinged with close to N186C; venation, close to 144D. Fully developed leaflets, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 144B.
    • [0061] Petioles.—Length: About 14.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm by 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A with fine dots, close to 187A. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B with fine dots, close to 187A.
• [0062] Flower description:
  • • [0063] Flower shape and habit.—Single rotate bowl-shaped flowers arranged in panicles; freely flowering habit with about three flowers per inflorescence and about 23 flowers and flower buds per plant; flowers face outwardly to slightly nodding.
    • [0064] Fragrance.—None detected.
    • [0065] Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten months after planting; plants flower naturally from early winter into the late winter in Germany.
    • [0066] Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; sepals persistent, other flower parts are not persistent.
    • [0067] Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Ovate to oblong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 157C; towards the base, tinged with close to 157B.
    • [0068] Inflorescence height (including peduncle).—About 24.6 cm.
    • [0069] Inflorescence diameter.—About 12 cm.
    • [0070] Flower diameter.—About 7.7 cm.
    • [0071] Flower depth.—About 5 cm.
    • [0072] Petals.—All petals are transformed into nectaries.
    • [0073] Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About five, arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 4.9 cm. Width: About 5.2 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate; moderately concave. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to NN155A; occasionally, lower half and margins, tinged with close to N74C; at the base, close to 144C. When opening, lower surface: Close to NN155A; occasionally, partially tinged with close to 68B; at the base, close to 144C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155C; occasionally, lower half and margins, tinged with close to 63B; occasionally distal margins, close to 64A; at the base, close to 145A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155A; occasionally, partially tinged with close to 63C; occasionally, distal margins, close to 72A; at the base, close to 144C.
    • [0074] Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: Typically one or two. Length: About 5.7 cm. Width: About 4.7 cm. Shape: Ovate; occasionally, with one or two shallow lobes. Apex: Acute to tri-lobed. Base: Truncate to cuneate. Margin: Entire and occasionally, distally, serrate; coarsely undulate. Color, upper surface: Close to 147A; at the base, close to 145B. Color, lower surface: Close to 147C; at the base, veins with dots, close to 187B.
    • [0075] Peduncles.—Length: About 20.9 cm. Diameter: About 6.5 mm to 8.5 mm. Aspect: About 15° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Color: Close to 145C with dense fine dots, close to 187B and 71A.
    • [0076] Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Aspect: About 20° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly to moderately glossy. Color: Close to a blend of N186C and N187A; occasionally, with dots, close to N144B.
    • [0077] Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 120. Filament length: About 1.3 cm. Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther shape: Double and broadly reniform; basifixed. Anther size: About 2 mm by 3 mm. Anther color: Close to 2C. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color: Close to 4D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About five to seven. Pistil length: About 1.9 cm. Stigma diameter: About 0.3 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 157A. Style length: About 1.1 cm. Style color: Close to 186C; at the apex, close to 187D. Ovary color: Close to a blend of 145B and 145C. Nectaries (transformed petals): Quantity per flower: About 13 to 14. Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Tubular, flattened; apices, obtuse. Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Immature, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144B. Mature, inner surface: Close to 144B; towards the apex, close to 9A; with subsequent development, apical color becoming closer to a blend of 7A and N144B. Mature, outer surface: Close to 144B; towards the apex, close to 9A; with subsequent development, color becoming closer to N144A and at the apex, close to 6A. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants of the new Helleborus.
• [0078] Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, high temperatures about 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9.
• [0079] Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Helleborus plants.