Helleborus
Christmas Rose/Lenten Rose
Stories about this genus are countless. In medieval times, it was considered a weapon against witches, madness and evil spirits. Hellebores deserve a place in every garden, not only because of their supposed power, but because they bloom for a long time, early in winter, when the weather is cool and many plants are still dormant. Most like moist, loamy soil with lime and leaf mold. We like them as ground covers for deciduous shrubs, conifers, or broad-leafed evergreens, and when possible plant them in an elevated spot to admire their flowers.
Headlining large racemes of cup-shaped light green flowers nodding well above a bushy subshrub-like foundation, this attractive native of Corsica and Sardinia is one of the largest Hellebores. Stout stems generate substantial gray-green foliage with spiny-toothed margins, long celery-colored petioles and a polished finish. Try it as a backdrop for Epimedium ‘Orange Queen’, Brunnera and Pulmonarias.
Blooms February–April
Size: 18" – 2' 0" high x 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 6.
Hybridized by German plantsman, Josef Heuger, ‘Pink Frost’ boasts a captivating floriferous display and a versatile hearty evergreen habit. A multicolored effect is created as legions of burgundy buds unfurl antique-toned pink petals, which encompass blonde stamens, and eventually mature to a deeper rosy red. Forging a forest-green clump of thick, small-toothed, red-petioled leaves, this Helleborus lividus and Helleborus niger progeny is tailor-made for containers and obliges a wide range of light exposures including deep shade, full sun and everything in between. (USPPP)
Blooms January–March
Size: 9" – 15" high x 18" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
From the banks of Scotland’s Tay River, ‘Wester Flisk’s fantastic foliar effect and extraordinary coloration will leave you spellbound. Large finely dissected palmate leaves with narrow jagged-edged finger-like leaflets interlace in a singular geometric fashion, creating a dark grayishgreen dome that casts maroon shades from fall to spring. Set off by red-infused stems and stalks, the airy chartreuse clusters of perfectly shaped bell flowers are rimmed in red. This exceptional selection maintains its composure when exposed to sun or shade, rabbits and deer, plus dry, moist or clay soil.
Blooms February–April
Size: 18" – 2' 0" high x 18" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Modeled on tall strong stems above varnished evergreen foliage, the large ornately marked grape purple flowers showcase contrasting bright green nectaries surrounded by prominent dusky violet freckles. Chris Hansen’s discerning eye selected this remarkable Hellebore strain for its vibrant legions of otherworldly 3 ½ in. blooms and its fetching deep green visage that possesses amazing vigor.
Blooms January–March
Size: 18" – 2' 0" high x 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 4.
This deluxe long-lived Heuger Hellebore earns her diva status as copious, extralarge and slightly cupped crisp-white blooms appear just after Thanksgiving. Donning subtly pink stigmas, the early outward-facing flowers unfurl from soft rose-imbued buds atop a shapely evergreen bed of stout stems plus thick palmate forest-green foliage that’s festooned with reddish leaf petioles. Whether in a woodland setting, prized patio container or cut floral centerpiece, ‘Diva’ guarantees both gusto and grace.
Blooms December–March
Size: 12" high x 18" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
A complex German hybrid consisting of Helleborus niger, Helleborus sternii and Helleborus hybridus, ‘Merlot’s large rounded forward-facing flowers flaunt a luxe velvety wine-hued aspect. Brightened by ebullient sunshine-colored stamens, the clustered long-blooming display dwells atop staunch erect reddish stems plus broad durable deep green foliage that’s chiseled into hand-like evergreen segments. Heady saturated colors coupled with a dignified year-round persona give you good reason to welcome this first-class HGC series member into your winter garden. (pp#31,181)
Blooms December–March
Size: 15" – 18" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Helleborus ‘HGC Ice ’n Roses® ′Rose’ (P-2283)
Each $17.75
A meticulously crafted cross from Josef Heuger’s Gold Collection, this easy-care Helleborus x ericsmithii and Helleborus x hybrida introduction promotes impressive vigor, longevity and flower power. Extra-large outward-facing single blooms showcase icy pink overlapping petals with dark pink edges and backsides, while prominent canary-yellow centers add a zingy grace note. Poised on stout reddish stems, glamorous pretty-in-pink posies are cushioned by a lustrous evergreen bed of thick, deeply cut lobes.
Blooms November–mid-February
Size: 15" – 18" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Perhaps one of the finest low growing, early flowering plants, this Helleborus is easy to grow, requiring only shade and some moisture. The nodding flowers, which range in color from blush white to plum, are usually spotted on the inside with crimson and maroon. Lustrous and dark green, the 12 in. wide evergreen leaves are divided into seven to nine segments.
Blooms January–April
Size: 18" high x 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 4.
World-renowned Hellebore breeder Marietta O’Byrne earns kudos for this woodland diva’s large flouncy double flowers. A variable carousel of colors, each extraordinary yellow bloom features rumpled peach and rose-blushed petals that are often trimmed with red or hot pink picotee margins, creating an overall cozy amber shade. The lucent floral display sojourns atop a regal evergreen foundation defined by robust, polished forest-green foliage.
Blooms February–April
Size: 15" – 20" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Mustering a mysterious wintertime element for shady nooks, large cup-shaped single blooms present pearlescent centers encompassed by seductive shades of dark violet, purplish burgundy, smoky midnight and nearly black. The ultraluxe floral profusion tops firm dark mahogany stalks and beefy palmate evergreen leaves that sculpt a gleaming deep green mound. Named Perennial Plant of the Year in 2005, this valiant Marietta O’Byrne seed strain can lounge alongside Asplenium ‘Cristatum’ and Cyclamen coum.
Blooms February–April
Size: 15" – 18" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Deemed some of the finest low growing, early flowering plants, the hybridus Hellebores are easy to grow, requiring only shade and some moisture, and those in the “Lady” series, innovated by Gisela Schmiemann, are renown for their beauty. ‘Blue Metallic Lady’s darkly alluring, cupped and upfacing flowers boast lavish midnight purplish blue hues with merlot and pewter overtones and a bright cluster of champaign-colored stamens. Lustrous and dark green, the broad evergreen leaves are divided into 7 to 9 segments.
Blooms February–March
Size: 15" – 18" high x 18" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Perhaps you could use a profusion of exotic-looking Lotus-style blooms to spruce up your wintertime garden. If so, consider this recent Marietta O’Byrne seed strain that swaggers large, fully double jade-green flowers embellished with burgundy-toned picotee edges plus ruby-infused streaks, speckles and dapples. Varying in color and markings, the fluffy yet sophisticated floral display lasts for several months atop stocky stems and a resilient, lustrous evergreen clump.
Blooms February–April
Size: 18" – 22" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
One of the prized outcomes from Charles Price’s complex breeding programs, this new Hellebore offers darkly alluring, cupped and upfacing flowers, which boast charcoal hues suffused with blue, plum and wine tones and sprightly champaign-colored stamens. Broad dark green leaves are divided into 7 to 9 segments and retain their lustrous finish throughout the year.
Blooms January–March
Size: 15" – 18" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Applauded as the most successful black double-flowering hybrid on the market, the 3 in. wide nodding flowers, hosted atop a glossy evergreen habit, flaunt sumptuous color for several months. Up to 20, ultraswank ruffle-edged petals glisten in beckoning shades that range from smoky-plum, slate-purple to nearly black, while encompassing frilly champagne-colored centers. Longevity, superb vigor and dark reddish new growth are the hallmark of this divine Marietta O’Byrne seed strain.
Blooms January–April
Size: 18" – 2' 0" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Hats off to Oregon’s Marietta O’Byrne and her impressive Helleborus breeding program for introducing this fanciful easily grown selection. Festooned with eye-catching freckled and blotched burgundy-colored centers, single rounded creamy-white flowers are showcased against a composed, leathery dark green ensemble. The multitude of long-lasting blooms enlivens shady garden alcoves and can be surrounded by Dicentra ‘Bacchanal’ and Ajuga ‘Black Scallop’.
Blooms January–April
Size: 15" – 20" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Helleborus x hybridus ‘Painted Doubles’ (P-2182)
Each $17.50
Masterfully bred by Marietta O’Byrne, this rococo cultivar rallies big fully-double alabaster-colored blossoms tattooed with bold centrally-located maroon to purplish red splashes, streaks and stipples. Lustrous deeply-lobed leather-like leaves create a dapper bushy dark green foil for the marvelous floral gala. ‘Painted Doubles’s upright evergreen mound can rollick amid other easy-care perennials such as Polystichum setiferum ‘Herrenhausen’ or Brunnera ‘Mr. Morse’.
Blooms January–April
Size: 15" – 18" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Another stellar Hellebore from the highly touted Lady series, ‘Picotee Lady’ affords ample feminine appeal with stylish uniquely etched blooms. The cup-shaped greenish white flowers model rosy-wine rims, pink or red veins, darker pink flip sides and a starburst of flaxen stamens. Thick lightly toothed deep green leaves craft a dark glistening foundation that’s easily grown and relished nearly all year, especially when planted next to Pulmonaria ‘Diana Clare’.
Blooms January–April
Size: 14" – 18" high x 18" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Yet another ravishing O’Byrne Hellebore seed strain, this evergreen headliner hosts variable single Anemone-style white flowers with rosy-rimmed petals plus eye-catching ruffled pearlescent centers. The pronounced semidouble central hubs are distinguished by either deep pink, red-violet or burgundy margins, and often merlot-colored striations. Voted the 2005 Perennial Plant of the Year, ‘Picotee Pearl’s long-lasting floral splendor illuminates tasteful, toothed shiny bright green foliage that can gambol alongside Polystichum polyblepharum and Pulmonaria ‘Diana Clare’ for a wondrous winter-time vignette.
Blooms January–April
Size: 18" – 22" high x 18" – 22" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Earning the Perennial Plant of the Year award in 2005, this Gisela Schmiemann innovation is renown for its outward facing dusky reddish violet flowers. The alluring dark blooms, heightened by spry light-colored stamens, are clustered above a glossy evergreen bed of thick, toothed and segmented dark green leaves. ‘Red Lady’s mysterious flair can be associated with other coddle-free woodland dwellers such as Beesia deltophylla and Omphalodes ‘Starry Eyes’.
Blooms January–March
Size: 15" – 18" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
A decadent balm for gardeners who dread winter, this lusty Marietta O’Byrne cultivar swaggers profuse double-petalled dark rosy-red and crimson blooms—good-sized, cupped and nodding. The richly hued blond-eyed Lotus-style blooms dally on staunch stems rising above a well-formed evergreen mass of glistening serrated dark green leaves. Intermingle undemanding ‘Red Sapphire’ with ‘Double Painted Lady’ for enticing cold-weather color echoes and contrasts.
Blooms February–April
Size: 15" – 18" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Another Marietta O’Byrne marvel, this exquisite hand-pollinated seed strain is reputed to be the best double white Hellebore currently available. Gathered like folds of chiffon around a green eye, the large, fully double pure white flowers are 3 in. wide and pendulous, yielding over 40 blooms per plant. The luxe display brings scintillating luminosity to ‘Sparkling Diamond’s enduring prowess and verdant evergreen leaves.
Blooms February–April
Size: 15" high x 18" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Beaming large pale yellow to golden-yellow double flowers with rosy-red picotee margins and streaks, this hand-pollinated O’Byrne seed strain is guaranteed to chase away the winter blues. Perky butter-colored stamens and a green central glow garnish the aptly named cheerful blooms that top strong stems plus a polished, bushy Yew-green base of energetic evergreen foliage. The ornate, outward-facing wavy-petalled flowers make a fulgent counterpoint to Pulmonaria ‘Bertram Anderson’s silver-dappled leaves and blue blossoms in shady garden niches.
Blooms January–April
Size: 15" – 18" high x 18" – 22" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
This elegant empress will take command of your winter garden. Warmed by a maroon freckled center and distinctively showcased against a dark green, thick-leafed evergreen base, each beautiful rounded white blossom appears to be sculpted from snow. Her glorious bearing is the result of Germany’s Gisela Schmiemann’s outstanding Hellebore breeding program.
Blooms January–April.
Size: 14" – 18" high x 18" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Hailing from Martine Lemonnier’s Normandy garden, this delightful newly introduced hybrid sprung up as a chance H. niger and H. hybridus seedling. Substantial, forward-facing plum-pink flowers, each with a central boss of butter-colored stamens, are lifted by tall staunch stems and a fuss-free dark green visage. ‘Madame Lemonnier’s gorgeous sterile blooms unfurl for months beginning in January, while her robust leaves make a classy year-long statement. (pp#25,646)
Blooms November–February
Size: 16" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Flaunting three times the petals of most Hellebore blossoms, large lusty black double flowers, enhanced by buttery yellow stamens, distinguish this marvelous new Chris Hansen introduction. Borne on strong stems, the swank outfacing blooms, which span over 3 in., maintain their splendor for twice as long as their single flowering counterparts and unleash tantalizing drama into any garden setting. Rare, highly coveted, and deer-proof, ‘Midnight Ruffles’ also furnishes glossy good-looking evergreen foliage for your year-round enjoyment.
Blooms January–March.
Size: 18" – 22" high x 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 4.
Promising early winter floral magic, this superbly bred selection boasts a luminous bevy of yellow-stamened crisp white petals atop burgundy stems. Defined by 7 petals, as opposed to the usual 5, and a light green or blush pink coloration as they age, full forward-facing flowers rise from dark green toothed leaves that shape a lustrous evergreen foil. Perfect for holiday decorating, ‘Jonas’ can be enjoyed in bouquets, in a lightly shaded mixed planting or a magnificent container specimen on the patio.
Blooms November–January
Size: 12" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Coveted for their early bloom, the large outward-facing cupped white flowers with golden stamens foster a glamorous long-lasting flurry that arrives just in time to sparkle up the holidays. The subtly scented bee-friendly blossoms unfurl from November through the new year, transmuting pastel green shades as they age, above a resilient close-knit habit of thick varnished dark green palmate leaves. Introduced by Germany’s acclaimed Hellebore breeder Josef Heuger, ‘Jacob’ lends an indispensable easy-care evergreen presence to patio containers, shady borders and woodland gardens. (pp#17,799)
Blooms December–March
Size: 12" high x 18" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Highly acclaimed for his upright vigorous habit, long bloom period and early, outward-facing flowers, ‘Joseph Lemper’ touts the largest stature in the Gold Collection, a recent Dutch series of improved niger cultivars. The plenteous, 3 in. wide, somewhat cupped, pure white blooms are centered with decorative flaxen stamens, while crowning sturdy stems and dashing, thick, evergreen forest-hued foliage. (pp#15,615)
Blooms November–February
Size: 18" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
Also known as Helleborus x nigersmithii ‘Walhelivor’.
With dark dusky pink buds and outward facing, easy-to-view ivory-petaled blooms, this vigorous Lenten Rose is aptly named. Innovated by the truly gifted English breeder David Tristram, and vegetatively propagated, ‘Ivory Prince’s exquisite flowers reveal a subtle infusion of colors, from soft green and antique rose on the inside to earthy plum hues on the exterior. Sturdy wine-tinted stems and princely, deep green leatherlike foliage marked by light prominent veining and toothed margins maintain a pleasing evergreen presence all year long.(PPAF)
Blooms March–April.
Size: 12" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 5.
After 15 years of meticulous record keeping and careful hand crossing by American breeder, Chris Hansen, this vigorous richly colored Hellebore is the first selection to be released from the Winter Thriller series. Enormous 3 ½ in. wide, long lasting mahogany red flowers are perfectly rounded, as sumptuous as velvet and copiously produced, exceeding some 70 per plant. Poised on sturdy pencil thick stems, the glamorous outfacing blooms showcase bright platinum-colored stamens, and when mature, transmute unusual green hues well above the evergreen bed of thick, dark lustrous leaves.
Blooms January–March.
Size: 18" – 22" high x 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 4.
Beaming large sunny yellow double flowers with magenta-laced margins, this vigorous Chris Hansen cultivar introduces a new floral color to his Winter Thriller Hellebore series. Perky bright green nectaries embellish the aptly named cheerful blooms, which can number up to 50 or more, atop strong stems and a shiny Yew green bushy base of winning evergreen foliage. The ruffled flowers make a fulgent counterpoint to Pulmonaria ‘Bertram Anderson’s silver-dappled leaves and blue blossoms in shady garden niches.
Blooms January-March
Size: 18" – 22" high x 2' 0" wide.
Hardy to zone 4.