Hands in the Dirt: Hellebore

Article and photo by Donna Iverson 

Hellebore is one of the first garden plants to flower in early spring.  A member of the buttercup family, it has a delicately beautiful wildflower appearance. The diminutive Hellebore is a long lived perennial that prefers winter sun and summer shade.

It’s not a native plant, but it’s not invasive. It is also known as the Lenten rose. It will grow under trees and is perfect for a rock garden or a woodland slope.  Once planted, it can take three to five years to bloom.  But its rose-like flowers will give you pleasure for 40 years or more. In the summer, it retreats into dormancy.

Flower color ranges from pink, to white, to purple, and yellow. Rabbits and deer leave it alone although squirrels have been seen to take a nibble or two. It is toxic to dogs and cats if eaten in large amounts.  It can also cause skin irritation in sensitive humans.

A native of the Balkans, the name Hellebore, has nothing to do with hell. Rather it is derived from the Greek word “hellebores.” The translation is injured flower food. Maybe referring to its toxic properties. On the other hand, Ancient Greek myth refers to some young women driven mad by Dionysus who were cured with a brew made from the hellebore plant. 
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On a personal note, I am always drawn to flowers that most resemble the wildflowers of Western Michigan. They are small, unobtrusive and delicate like the Hellebore.