I Love Helleborus niger ‘Jacob’ et al, aka The Christmas Rose

Nov 29, 2024 | Love This!

Name:    Helleborus niger ‘Jacob’ et al, aka the white Christmas rose

Type of Plant:  White flowering hellebores in the species niger, are commonly called the Christmas rose, although they aren’t roses. ‘Jacob’ is a variety that is often sold at this time of year since it comes into flower in late November and is in bloom through the winter.

Why I Love this Plant:  Flowers from November into March! What’s not to love? Plus evergreen foliage, bunny and deer resistant, and shade loving. This is a perennial that belongs in every garden.

A Word to the Wise:  Plant Helleborus niger in well drained but organically enriched gardens. Mulching with chopped up leaves or bark mulch on an annual basis will help keep the soil amended. Water these plants in the fall and spring when they are actively growing. Once they are planted, do not disturb since they are not happy about relocations.

Since what looks like petals isn’t really flower petals, but are sepals, they seem to be in flower for much longer than a normal perennial plant.

I took this photo at Hyannis Country Garden today. It shows that inside the plants that are being sold right now there are dozens  of flower buds waiting to emerge. Many more than this photo could even capture.

The foliage of hellebores is bright green and is evergreen. They only maintenance needed is to cut off browned leaves in the late spring.

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