Helleborus foetidus, commonly known as stinking hellebore, is a lovely winter-to-spring blooming perennial that's also easy to grow. Kevin Espiritu discusses everything you need to know to plant and care for this perennial.Helleborus foetidus is a flowering plant that will make a beautiful addition to your landscape. It can be grown in large containers, but does best in a dedicated, permanent outdoor garden bed. The dark green, palmate leaves with a bluish tint create a showy and striking contrast against its bell-shaped, greenish-white flowers.
This plant is popular among gardeners. Unlike most other perennial plants, it’s evergreen through the winter. And it can handle cold climates like a champ, making it a perfect pick for northern climates. Even better, once established, it’s ideal in xeriscaping.
One of its common names sounds quite comical. Who wants something called stinking hellebore in their garden? Luckily, they don’t actually stink, despite their common name. If crushed or bruised, their leaves have an earthy aroma.
So don’t be deterred. You’ll love the ambiance your plant brings!The plant is known by multiple common names. While stinking hellebore is the best known, it’s also known as bear’s foot or setterwort. It’s native to Greece, Asia Minor, and the central and southern parts of Europe.
In the wild, it generally grows in scrub forests. This provides it with a shady environment where it performs best.
Helleborus foetidus produces narrow, glossy leaves on thick succulent stems. The leaves are deeply carved and may resemble the leaves of palms or ferns. Some have lightly toothed edges.
Its flowers open in late winter. The bloom time lasts until March, sometimes even April. Its flowers are pale green in color and have five petal-like sepals, resembling little bells. While their color isn’t showy, it still stands out in the garden.
Be careful when planting Helleborus foetidus. This plant develops a deep root system which greatly improves the plant’s winter hardiness and drought tolerance. However, it also makes them difficult to transplant.
If possible, only plant young plants that haven’t had time to develop those roots yet. Older plants should be placed in a permanent location. Replant hellebores at the same depth as they were in their original pot.