Helleborus orientalis

Lenten rose is a winter-blooming, broadleaf evergreen, clumping perennial in the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family. It typically grows 1 to 1.5 feet tall and equally as wide in a blushy, upright clump. The flowers are large, cup-shaped, nodding, and have overlapping petals. They appear in clusters of 1 to 4 blooms in colors varying from white, and pink, to light rose and rise above the foliage on a thick stem. Blooms appear in late winter and persist into spring. The foliage is dark green, glossy, and palmately divided. In warmer climates, it is evergreen, but deciduous in colder winter climates.

The Lenten rose is native to Asia Minor and Eurasia including Northeast Greece, Turkey, and the Caucasus.

The genus name, Helleborus, comes from the Greek words helein, meaning injures, and bora, meaning food, referring to the toxic properties of the leaves, stems, and roots, if they are ingested. The specific epithet, orientalis, means from the Orient.

Lenten rose is easy to grow, requiring only a shady location and well-drained, moist soil with a neutral to alkaline pH. It will do best where it receives winter sunlight but is protected from the wind. It is intolerant of bright winter sun and high temperatures but is resistant to damage by deer browsing. To promote new foliage, cut back the flowering stems once the blooming has been completed. Propagate by division of the clumps in the spring or from seeds. 

This beautiful harbinger of spring has interesting, nodding flowers and large, dark green leaves. While there are numerous hybrid selections and species available, they are often difficult to distinguish and are misidentified in the trade.  The Lenten Rose is slightly larger and easier to grow than the Helleborus niger or Black Hellebore.

Use this plant in a border front, on patios, in containers, or in other protected, shady spots, such as a woodland garden. It is an excellent choice for a late winter blooming display. Pollinators will benefit from the nectar of these early-blooming flowers.

Seasons of Interest:

Bloom:  Late Winter     Foliage:  Evergreen in warmer climates, deciduous in cold climates          

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

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Aphids, slugs, leaf miners, weevils, and snails are potential insect pests. Fungal diseases can be a problem. Leaf spots, downy mildew, gray molds, crown rot, and a virus known as Hellebore black death can occur. The leaves and roots are poisonous. Avoid ingestion of this plant because it is toxic to cats, dogs, horses, and humans. The plant may also cause contact dermatitis. Wear gloves and protective equipment when handling this plant. This plant can spread through self-seeding. The NC Invasive Plant Council regards all hellebores as potentially invasive, although the threat is low.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

More information on Helleborus.