Also known as Winter rose the Hellebore belongs to the
genus Helleborus within the family Ranunculaceae and isn't related to roses
at all, but to buttercups and peonies. These herbaceous and often evergreen
plants are (very) poisonous which is also expressed in their scientific name
which translated as harmful food. The
greatest concentration of species van be found in Europe, mainly in the Balkans
with some species from Asia. The most commonly grown garden plants include Helleborus niger (the Christmas rose), H. lividus, H. corsicus and H. x hybridus (derived from H. orientalis). All flower early in the
year, some even in the middle of winter.
H. x hybridus 'Double White', on the left, a seedling
gifted to me by my mother. In some years it flowers
better than in others, sadly. H x nigercors is a hybrid of the Winter rose and
the Corsican Lent rose. H. lividus flowers with green cup-like flowers. This
might be a hybrid with some blood of H. foetidus, a plant also known as
Dungwort.
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