Flower of the Week: Hybridized Hellebore
Have you ever felt that your winter garden lacks color? You may want to try growing this little fairy called hellebore, whose flowers are beautiful and vibrant and bloom against a backdrop of ice and snow to light up dull corners in your garden. Hellebore has large, ornate sepals that attract insects. Its real flowers are small and dotted among the sepals as if they are smiling calmly in the biting cold wind. Take it home and embrace the elegance of winter.
The rich gardening varieties of hellebore are a major reason why the plant is so popular worldwide. Through constant hybridization, horticulturists have cultivated varieties with richer colors and more complex patterns, satisfying the preferences of various groups of enthusiasts. For example, there are the simple ‘Anna Red’, whose sepals are fuchsia, ‘First Dance’, whose sepals are yellow with purple-patterned margins, ‘Flower Girl’, whose sepals are white with pink ruffles, and more! Choose from many rich selections; there’s sure to be one for you.
Don’t let your guard down around hellebore simply because it is beautiful; the entire plant is toxic. Direct contact with it can cause irritation to our skin, and consuming it can cause adverse reactions such as emesis, diarrhea, and even disturbance to our nervous system. Pets can also incur similar symptoms from consuming hellebore, and although it tastes bad and pets don’t eat it in large quantities, we should still take precautions.
Hellebore is also called Christmas Rose. Legend has it that after the birth of Jesus, people went to Bethlehem to send congratulations. Among them, there was a shepherd who was too poor to buy a gift. Out of sorrow, he couldn’t help but shed tears. His tears fell into the snow and produced a beautiful flower. As a result, hellebore was born.
However, the toxicity of hellebore casts a mysterious shadow upon the flower. Some legends claim that hellebore was a necessary ingredient for medieval wizards to summon demons, and the prefix “Hell-” at the beginning of its genus name Helleborus adds to this horror association. There is even a singer who has released an album featuring religion and darkness, with the album title named after this mysterious and deadly winter flower.
Hellebore is best grown in loose, fertile, well-drained soil. It prefers shade and can be planted under big trees to avoid direct summer sunlight. It does not require much moisture, and any soil works well as long as it’s not too dry or damp. If there is no need to collect seeds, you can cut back wilted flowers after blooming to reduce nutrient loss. Be aware that hellebore is toxic, so wear gloves while pruning.
Size: 10-60 cm (4-24 in) tall
Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8, hardiness varies by varieties
Light: Half sun to shade
Soil: Loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly alkaline
Bloom time: Winter or spring