From the garden ELLEN PEFFLEY
Hellebores are beautiful evergreen perennials that bloom in early spring. There are at least 15 species of Hellebores and numerous hybrids that are often misidentified in the horticulture trade.
The Hellebore of interest today has the common name of Lenten Rose, variously assigned the specific epithets Helleborus (heh-li-BORE-us) orientalis, Helleborus x hybridus (hy-BRID-us), and most recently, Helleborus × ballardiae (ba-LAR-dee-aye-ee). This is one case where the common name clears up ambiguous misidentifications.
Regardless of the species designation, the plant bears the name Lenten Rose because it flowers during season of Lent, the 40 days before Easter; and secondly, for its rose-like flowers.
The genus name Helleborus comes from the Greek helein, meaning injures; and bora, meaning food; combined they refer to the toxic foliage. The toxic compounds are poisonous alkaloids. Hellebores may irritate sensitive skin of humans but there is a positive property of the poisonous alkaloids: the plant is considered to be rabbit- and deer-resistant.
Plants produce abundant blooms of nodding floral spikes that bear blooms from white, whitish green, cream, cream tinged with pink, pinkish-grey, purple to almost black in color. Floral spikes emerge from leathery, dark green succulent leaves that are born on stiff, fleshy stems; the foliage and stems are reminiscent of Begonias’ succulent stems that are easily snapped. Leaves are most often marbled with slight silver patterning. Mature plants can reach a height of 24 inches with a spread of 24 inches.
Lenten Rose is drought tolerant after establishment. It is a shade plant that is most effective when planted in shaded containers, rock gardens, and borders when massed. Lenten Rose is hardy to USDA zones 9 to 5, surviving to -20°F with winter protection.
The showy flowers are the most attractive feature of the Lenten Rose. It has all four main parts of a complete flower: starting from the outside of the bloom, the sepals, next the tube-shaped petals that are reservoirs for nectar; inside the petals is a whorl of yellow stamens that bear yellow pollen; in the center of the stamens are the female parts with slender green ovaries topped with white styles.
Lenten Roses are stunning in the garden. While they are shade plants, they do require light for flower production and to bring out the marbling of the leaves.
Some information from perennials.com; plants.ces. ncsu.edu
Ellen Peffley Harp, a retired professor of horticulture at Texas Tech University, writes about gardening for several Texas newspapers.
