Stinking Hellebore
SKU: AM017970
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Overview
Stinking Hellebore might have an unappealing name, but don’t let that deter you - this evergreen perennial, blooms late winter to mid-spring, offering stunning foliage and flowers when your garden needs it most. This hellebore has dark green leathery leaves, deeply cut to form narrow fingers with a lush, tropical appeal. Clusters of nodding, bell-shaped chartreuse flowers are edged in contrasting burgundy, energizing the garden for months. A lovely complement to spring-flowering bulbs and an excellent choice for filling in a sparse spring garden. Also known by interesting names such as Bearfoot, Ox Heel, and Stinkwort, this plant is a true gem for the early season shade garden. (Helleborus foetidus)
key features
Botanical Name
Helleborus foetidus
Advantages
Deer Resistant, Easy To Grow, Naturalizes, Winter Interest, Evergreen
Growing Zones
Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9
Light Requirements
Half Sun / Half Shade, Full Shade
Soil Moisture
Average, Moist / Wet
Mature Height
12-24" tall
Mature Spread
12-18" wide
Bloom Time
Late winter to early spring
SKU
AM017970
Description
12-24" tall x 12-18” wide. The lime-green flowers of Stinking Hellebore are a bonus, accenting the fabulous fine-textured foliage. This plant provides a lovely complement to broad-leaved shade plants like Hosta, Coral Bells (Heuchera), and Lungwort (Pulmonaria). Plants also look stunning massed beneath large shrubs or trees. Chartreuse blooms, are among the first blooms to emerge in late winter, energizing the winter-and-early spring garden. Flowers will produce viable seed and sprout seedlings around the base of the plant, which can easily be transplanted to other locations in the garden or weeded out. Allow a few seedlings to remain near the parent plant as Stinking Hellebore is not as long-lived as other hellebores. Seedlings will replace the parent plant in several years. Flower stalks can be cut back in early summer after releasing seed to maintain a tidy appearance. Remove old, faded foliage in late winter to early spring. Grow in partial to full shade in any well-drained soil.
