Introducing...
Hellebore
Botanical name: Helleborus
Common name: hellebore
Hellebores are classic plants for winter interest, with elegant, nodding blooms in shades of green, white, pink or ruby. These perennials have a long flowering period, lasting well into spring. Mainly evergreen with handsome leaves, they thrive in shadier spots.
Looks
Nodding flowers in shades of green, white, pink or plum, or even blackish–purple, are set among clumps of leathery, evergreen leaves. Most hellebores are compact, 30–45cm (12–18in) tall, but bolder types, such as Helleborus argutifolius and H. foetidus, can grow to 90cm (3ft).
Likes
Hellebores grow best in fertile, evenly moist soil, although they should be fine in most soil types. While they prefer light shade, they’ll often cope in a sunnier spot as long as the soil doesn’t get too dry. The stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) is happy in deep shade.
Dislikes
Hellebores dislike extremes – very wet or very dry soil is unsuitable, as is full sun, which can scorch the leaves in summer. The popular Oriental hybrids (Helleborus × hybridus) are hardy, but H. thibetanus, H. lividus and H. niger are easily damaged by winter cold and wet.
Did you know?
Although often known as Christmas or Lenten roses, because they flower from late winter into spring, hellebores aren’t related to roses. Instead they belong to the buttercup family.
Growing guide
How to grow hellebores
All the information you’ll need to grow and care for hellebores in your garden.
Hellebores we recommend
Helleborus × ericsmithii 'Winter Moonbeam'PBR
hellebore 'Winter Moonbeam'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Helleborus argutifolius
holly-leaved hellebore
- 0.5–1 metres
- 0.5–1 metres
Helleborus foetidus
stinking hellebore
- 0.5–1 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Helleborus × ericsmithii 'Winter Moonbeam'PBR
hellebore 'Winter Moonbeam'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Helleborus argutifolius
holly-leaved hellebore
- 0.5–1 metres
- 0.5–1 metres
Helleborus foetidus
stinking hellebore
- 0.5–1 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Useful advice
Hellebore aphid
Hellebore black death
Hellebore leaf miner
Hellebore leaf spot
Get involved
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