Helleborus (Hellebore) is a genus comprising more than 20 species of flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe. It occurs from Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, Mediterranean region, Romania, Ukraine, Turkey to Calcasus, with the greatest concentration of species occurs in the Balkans.
Hellebores are grown as ornamental plants in woodland gardens and mixed borders. They are valued by gardeners for their winter and early spring flowering period. The plants are frost-resistance and many are evergreen. The flowers have five 'petals' (actually sepals) surrounding a ring of small, cup-like nectarines (petals modified to hold nectar). The sepals do not fall like the petals would, but remain on the plant, sometimes for many months.
Helleborus argutifolius (Corsican hellebore), 1 m high and across, has dark green leaves and clusters of bright green, cup-shaped flowers in late winter to early spring. This will self-seed. Cut down old plants to make room for the new ones.
Helleborus foetidus (Stinking hellebore, setterwort, dungwort or bear's foot)is native to western Europe. It can grow to 80 x 45 cm, has dark green foliage and bears clusters of bell-shaped, green or greenish flowers which are often edged with dark red, in late winter to early spring. Foliage is pungent when crushed and all parts of the plant are poisonous, containing glycosides. Symptoms of intoxication include violent vomiting and delirium.
Helleborus niger (Christmas rose, black hellebore), 30 x 45 cm, is an evergreen perennial with dark green, leathery leaves. In mid-winter to early spring, it bears large white flowers which resemble wild roses (and despite its common name), it does not belong to the rose family Rosaceae. Helleborus niger is poisonous.
Plant Helleborus in partial shade, in neutral to alkaline soil. Propagation is by ripe seed; divide in early spring or late summer. Pests and diseases are slugs and snails, black rot and leaf spot.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2006-12-18Helleborus_niger09.jpg
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