Lenten Rose Helleborus orientalis
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Lenten Rose:
- Phonetic Spelling
- hel-eh-BORE-us or-ee-en-TAH-liss
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Lention rose is a winter-blooming evergreen perennial in the Ranunculaceae family. The scientific name comes from the Greek words 'helein', meaning injures, and 'bora', meaning food, referring to the toxic properties when the plant is eaten. The specific name 'niger', meaning black, refers to the color of the roots.
This plant is is easy to grow, requiring only a shady location and good, moist soil. They will do best where they receive winter sunlight but are protected from the wind. It is intolerant of bright winter sun and high temperatures but is resistant to damage by deer browsing. These beautiful harbingers of spring have interesting, nodding flowers and large, dark green leaves.
Utilize this in a border front, in patios plantings or other in protected, shady spots. It is an excellent choice for long, winter blooming display.
While there are numerous hybrid selections and species available, they are often difficult to distinguish and are misidentified in the trade.
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, Other Plant Problems: Fungal diseases can be a problem. The leaves and roots are poisonous.
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Backyard Respite Landscape Shaded Slope Dry Rock Stream Garden Shaded Slope Woodland Walk Shaded Slope Woodland Walk Four-Season Garden Shaded Slope Border Garden, Upcycled Small shade garden Entrance Statement, Fescue Grass Collector’s Garden Shaded Slope Border Garden- Pathway
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Royal Heritage'
wide range of colors - purple, pink, rose, light green with spotted or contrasting colors
- 'Royal Heritage'
- 'Royal Heritage'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Royal Heritage'
wide range of colors - purple, pink, rose, light green with spotted or contrasting colors
- 'Royal Heritage'
- 'Royal Heritage'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Helleborus
- Species:
- orientalis
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia Minor, Eurasia (Turkey, Caucasus)
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer resistant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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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 Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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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
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Beautiful harbingers of spring, with interesting, nodding solitary winter flowers, 2.5" wide and saucer shaped. 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.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Denticulate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leathery, shiny, dark-green leaves palmately divided with 7-9 leaflets, edged with shallow teeth. Basal or cauline, palmately compound, coriaceous, glabrous; petiloes elongate, peltate; leaflets 3-9, irregularly toothed or serrate.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stout, rhizomatous or exposed.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heavy Shade
- Pollution
- Poor Soil
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Poisonous to Humans
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Burning of mouth and throat, salivation, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nervous symptoms, depression; skin irritation after contact with cell sap
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Protoanemonin suspected
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Seeds
- Stems
