Epimediums and hellebores are herbaceous perennials that are slow to increase and command high prices. This research examined the influence of N⁶-Benzyladenine (BA) foliar sprays on bud development, propagule production and plant performance of Epimedium x rubrum Morren and Helleborus x hybridus L. To determine an appropriate BA concentration, plants were sprayed with 0, 1500, 3000, 4500 or 6000 mg l^-1 BA once in the spring. In a separate study, epimediums and hellebores were sprayed in May, June, July and August with 0, 20, 40, 60 or 80 ml of 3000 mg l^-1 BA. Single spring sprays resulted in few significant differences for Epimedium and no differences for Helleborus. Multiple sprays at 40 and 60 ml for Epimedium and at 60 and 80 ml for Helleborus doubled the number of buds in comparison to controls. Optimum BA sprays allowed for one or two additional propagules to be derived per epimedium plant. The number of propagules that could be made per hellebore plant was higher than the control for any volume of BA applied. BA caused foliar phytotoxicity in the form of severe burn and necrosis in Epimedium. For Helleborus, end of the season BA applications stimulated bud outgrowth in the late summer and fall, however this growth was sensitive to injury during overwintering. Hellebores treated with BA produced subsequent foliage with altered leaf morphology.