What is Helleborus niger used for?
Helleborus niger, also known as Christmas Rose, belongs to the family of Ranunculaceae, a family of flowering plants with about 2500 different species. In anthroposophic medicine H. niger is used as adjuvant drug in the treatment of brain tumors, leukemia, lymphoma and prostate cancer.
How do you care for a Helleborus niger?
For best results grow Helleborus niger in moist but well-drained soil in partial shade. Mulch annually with well-rotted compost or manure, and cut back the old leaves as flowers and new foliage appear. Like all hellebores, Helleborus niger dislikes being moved once established, so should not be divided.
Why are Helleborus so expensive?
Growers need to pay a licensing fee and royalties to the orginial hybridizer/patent holder. It is quite possible to purchase hellebores at lower prices. You may only be able to obtain seed strains rather than named hybrids or cultivars but they will still produce great, garden-worthy plants.
What do hellebores symbolize?
Hellebore symbolizes serenity, tranquility and peace. On the other hand, it can represent a scandal or anxiety.
Do hellebores have male and female flowers?
The stamens are long white filaments with bilocular anthers. Each flower can have up to 150 stamens. Before they mature, the stamens are closed around the carpels, the flowers’ female reproductive organs. Helleborus flower colours range from green shades, white and yellow, to pink and red hues.
Can you keep hellebores in pots?
Growing hellebores in containers Hellebores are naturally deep rooting plants and therefore select a container that has a good depth and with a wider top than base to ensure you can easily remove the plant when it requires re-potting.
What does hellebore look like in summer?
Hellebore foliage is evergreen and forms a low clump with leaves that are lobed and palm-like. The flowers resemble roses in shape. In colder zones, hellebores will break through the frozen ground early in the spring. Their foliage remains attractive into the summer, so they are suitable for splashy, mass plantings.
Can you plant hellebores in full sun?
Hellebores are hardy in Zones 6 to 9. They tolerate almost full sun to almost full shade but prefer partial shade. Dense shade may reduce flower production. Generally, they enjoy slightly neutral to acidic soils.
What flower represents God?
They have also been linked to the Virgin Mary symbolising her modesty and innocence. Moreover, you may have seen Lilies commonly used during Easter, representing Christ’s miraculous conception and His resurrection. Red roses in Christianity stand for love or as a sign of Christ’s blood.
What does hellebore smell like?
Helleborus odorus Noteworthy CharacteristicsSeedlings bloom in two to three years. Grows from thickened, slow-creeping rhizomes. Fragrance varies from deliciously sweet to slightly skunky, sometimes with no noticeable fragrance.