Stinking Hellebore Helleborus foetidus
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- hel-eh-BORE-us FOY-tih-dus
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Helleborus foetidus is an interesting plant to grow in a shady garden. It blooms in late winter to early spring, with unusual yellow-green pendant, cup-shaped blossoms with a maroon rim that are surrounded by pale green bracts. Although 'foetidus' means fetid, or smelly, the plant as a whole is not unpleasant smelling. The leaves, when crushed or bruised, give off a smell that many describe as unpleasant or strange.
Quick ID Hints:
- Flowers nodding, petaloid sepals
- Short plant with stiff, large, evergreen leaves
- Leaves are palmately divided into many leaflets
- Flower center of numerous stamens outlined by tubular nectaries, or fleshy , beaked capsules
Blooms in late winter to very early spring; utilized for borders or patios in protected, shady spots; poisonous leaves and roots- Greek 'helein'= to injure and 'bora'= food; excellent for long, winter blooming display.
Prefers partial to full shade; prefers organic-enriched soil; intolerant of bright winter sun and high temperatures; Fungal diseases are the main problem.
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Hydrangeas in the Garden Shaded Slope Shady Garden in Cabarrus County
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Dunham'
Narrow leaves
- 'Dunham'
- 'Dunham'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Dunham'
Narrow leaves
- 'Dunham'
- 'Dunham'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Helleborus
- Species:
- foetidus
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- mountainous regions of Europe, Greece and Asia Minor
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer and rabbit resistant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- Clustered, green, fleshy capsules, long-beaked, surrounded by persistent sepals.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Many flowers, 5-parted, drooping, green flushed with purple at apex. A stalked cyme or panicle, terminal, bracteated, often nodding; bracts gigantic, leaf-like, dark green, entire to sparsely toothed, +/- lobed. 1-many, usually greenish, tinted gold or brown, pink or purple, cup or bowl-shaped, nodding, 3-4" dia; sepals 5, showy, pigmented, broadly ovate-elliptic; inner petal segments numerous, consisting of tubular nectaries, green to greenish-yellow, ephemeral; stamens numerous, anther yellow. Blooms from February to April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, palmately divided with 7-10 leaflets. Gives off an unpleasant smell when crushed. Basal or cauline, palmately compound, coriaceous, glabrous; petiloes elongate, peltate; leaflets 3-9, irregularly toothed or serrate.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stout, rhizomatous or exposed.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Shade Garden
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heavy Shade
- Rabbits
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. SKIN IRRITATION MINOR OR LASTING ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES. Possibly causing burning of mouth and throat, salivation, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nervous symptoms, depression.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Protoanemonin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
