Avant Gardening & Landscaping’s Favorite Spring Plant Pick
PLANTAHOLICS ANONYMOUS
This clump-forming, late winter blooming perennial are true “pick-me-ups” with their early bloom when Wisconsin gardeners need it most! Hellebore or Lenten Rose grows best in rich, humus-y, well-drained soil and can be a little finicky about their location, but once established are pretty low-maintenance.
Scientific Name: Helleborus orientalis. Common Name: Lenten Rose, Hellebore
Believed to come from the Greek term ‘ellos/hellos’ meaning Fawn and ‘bora’ meaning Food = Food for A Fawn. An alternative meaning is that the first syllable is from ‘hele’ meaning to Take Away, translating to ‘take way food’ which likely refers to the emetic nature of the plant. ‘Orientalis’ means From the East which describes the first discovery of this species.
Did You Know: Leaves, stems and roots of Helleborus spp. are poisonous?
So, DO NOT try to eat it!
The roots are strongly emetic and potentially fatal. In fact historically, it was sometimes used to cause vomiting after poisoning, which is now known to be harmful. Until the 18th century, this plant may have also been responsible for many childhood deaths. Some varieties were used to treat stomach worms in children, with the idea that the induced vomiting would expel the worms and when it failed the dose would often be increased or repeated. According to American Medicinal Plants, Charles F. Millspaugh says, all hellebores share the same effects on the body but he ranks the different species in terms of the ‘strength’ of their poisonous effects. He mentions H. niger and H. foetidus as the most suitable for medicinal use (being the least poisonous) and H. orientalis not being used medicinally, because it is the strongest.
The Lenten Rose’s unique and large “petals” (which are actually sepals that shelter the tiny true flower nestled inside) are its most interesting feature. These petal-like sepals remain on the plant for 8-10 weeks, giving it the illusion of an extremely long bloom-time! The “flowers” are rose-like (hinting towards its common name) and point downward in a “nodding” fashion. The hybrid cultivars have an extremely variable color range, from white to green, even light pink, purple or burgundy.
Its leathery foliage would be a great addition to any shade garden. The palmate, glossy dark-green leaves (7-9 leaflets) – almost give this plant a tropical look!
PLANT DETAILS
Zone: 4-9
Height & Spread: 1ft-2ft
Bloom Time: Late Winter/Early Spring, January to April
Sun Requirements: Part Shade to Full Shade
Site in a location that can be seen from a kitchen window or near a front entry, or patio space where their early bloom will be noticed and enjoyed. I always suggest planting in groups to increase the impact of the bloom and foliage texture. Enjoy!
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