Common name: Hellebore, Lenten Rose, Christmas Rose
Family: Ranunculaceae, Buttercup
Height x width: 12-24" x 18-24"
Growth rate: slow to moderate
Foliage: divided, compound or palmate, leathery, coarsely-serrated margins, evergreen
Flowers: nodding white, rose, green or purple; flowers when cool, early
Hardiness: zones 3-6 to 8-9
Soil: moist, organic
Light: part shade
Pests and problems: few, root rots
Landscape habit, uses: woodland, shade garden
Other interest: common names from early bloom; two groups including those with leafy flower stems with terminal flowers, and those with flowers arising directly from the roots
Other culture: many need winter protection
Propagation: seedlings, spring root divisions from mature plants; sow seeds for 7 weeks at 70ºF, 32ºF 8 weeks, then 40ºF until 55º when germination begins
Species:
argutifolius(ar-gue-te-fol' ee-us)--zones 6-8, 18-24" x 18", greenish flowers on stems in early spring, coarse texture from gray-green foliage, winter mulch, doesn't tolerate high humidity
atrorubens(a-tro-ruu' bens)--zones 6-8, early plum-purple flowers
cyclophyllus(cii-clo-phil' us)--20" tall, greenish-yellow flowers in early spring, deciduous
foetidus(fe-ti-dus')--Stinking Hellebore, zones 5-9, 18-24" x 18", light green flowers often purple-rimmed on stems, 4-9 narrow, dark evergreen leaflets, name from fetid or bad smelling at close distance
lividus(li-vi-dus')--zones 7-8, 12-18" x 18", greenish flowers, smooth dark green leaves with pale white netting of veins, leaves from the flowering stem
niger(nii' ger)--zones 3-8, 12-18" x 12", variable solitary white flowers 2 1/2" wide in late winter to early spring, 7-9 divided leaves, not tolerant of climate extremes and fluctuations
x nigercors(nii-ger-cores')--argutifolius and niger cross, large white flowers tinted green, coarse jagged-edge foliage
x nigristern(nii-gri-stern')--niger and x sternii cross, large white flowers tinged pink-brown or green outside, often marbled foliage and purplish stems
odoratus(oe-door-ah' tuss)--12" tall, 3-5 greenish flowers in early spring, 3-5 lobed basal leaves, coarsely serrate margins
olympicus(oe-limb' pi-cuss)--spreading white flowers with green tinge, 5-7 leaflets
orientalis(ore-ee-in-tal' iss)--Lenten Rose, zones 4-9, 15-18" x 15", variable nodding 3-4" white to purple flowers in early spring, relatively easy to grow
purpurascens(purr-purr-ass' cens)--zones 4-8, 8-10" tall, greenish to purplish flowers, deciduous
x sternii(stern' ee-ii)--zones 6-8, hybrid of argutifolius and lividus, lime-green to green flowers with purple tint, gray-green foliage
torquatus(tor-kwa' tus)--zones 6-8, dark flowers terminal on leafy stems
vesicarius(vess-uh-care' ee-us)--zones 6-8, 15-18" tall, branched stems, reddish flowers, deciduous in summer, resents transplanting
viridis(vir-i-diss')--Green Hellebore, 15-18" tall,drooping green
flowers, 7-11 narrow light green leaflets
Cultivars:
| Cultivars, other taxa | species | flowers | other |
| 'Aeneus' | torquatus | green, double | |
| 'Alabaster' | x nigercors | white, large | |
| 'Altiflorus' | niger | white, red spots | toothed leaves |
| 'Atrorubens' | orientalis | reddish-purple | deciduous, since 1843 |
| Blackthorn Group | x sternii | white suffused pink, large | hybrid |
| subsp. bocconei | multifidus | greenish yellow | faint cat scent |
| 'Boughton Beauty' | x sternii | rosy and green | compact, rosy foliage |
| 'Celadon' | orientalis | green, large | |
| 'Cosmos' | orientalis | white, pink spotted sepals | |
| 'December Dawn' | white, flat, suffused brown | ||
| 'Dido' | torquatus | lime-green, double | |
| 'DLC Hybrids' | orientalis | mix | from breeder David Culp |
| 'Dusk' | orientalis | dull charcoal-purple | |
| subsp. guttatus | niger | white, red inner spots | similar habit to species |
| 'Louis Cobbett' | niger | white suffused pink | |
| subsp. macranthus | niger | white tinged rose | no flower stem spots |
| subsp. multifidus | multifidus | green | deeply dissected leaves |
| subsp. occidentalis | viridis | green as species | wider, serrate margins |
| 'Old Ugly' | orientalis | red inner, green outer | viridis hybrid |
| 'Party Dress' | torquatus | cream, pink, or purple, double | |
| 'Phillip Ballard' | orientalis | charcoal gray, yellow stamens | |
| 'Pluto' | orientalis | dark purple | |
| 'Potter's Wheel' | niger | white, green eye, large | grown by division |
| 'Queen of the Night' | orientalis | dark red | |
| 'Sirius' | orientalis | creamy white, scented | |
| Wester Flisk Group | foetidus | yellow-green, red tint | narrow leaves, red stems |
| 'White Magic' | niger | clean white | compact |
| Wolverton Hybrids | torquatus | pastel mix | |
| 'Zodiac' | orientalis | pink suffused red |
©Authored by Dr. Leonard Perry, Professor, University of Vermont as part of PSS123 course.
Return to Perry's
Perennial Pages | HGPO
course | PSS123 course