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Helleborus foetidus

Also Known As

Bear's Foot
Stinking Hellebore
Stinkwort

Plant type

perennial

size

H: 24"-32"
W: 24"-40"

planting zones

6a-9b

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Helleborus foetidus plant details

Helleborus foetidus is a broadleaf evergreen perennial with green foliage. In spring and winter chartreuse flowers emerge. Attracts bees making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with mostly sun - shade and regular - low water. Drought tolerant once established. Prefers to be dry in summer. Adapts to various soil conditions. Does well in alkaline, average, clay, gritty, rich and well-drained soil.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Helleborus foetidus

Plant type: perennial
Plant family: ranunculaceae
Foliage: evergreen green
Mature size: 24 IN - 40 IN - wide, 24 IN - 32 IN - tall
Flowers: chartreuse blooms in spring and winter
Uses: border plant, container plant, cutting garden, easy-to-grow, self-sowing, winter interest, woodland garden, year round interest

GROWING CONDITIONS for Helleborus foetidus

USDA Zones: 6a - 9b
Sun exposure: mostly sun - shade
Watering frequency: regular - low
Resistant to: deer and rabbit
Soil needs: alkaline, average, clay, gritty, rich and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Helleborus foetidus has small, creamy green flowers with burgundy edges held in clusters at the top of the stems in late winter. The textural, leathery, deeply cut foliage is evergreen providing excellent foliage 12 months of the year. From western, central and southern Europe. Pay no attention to its common name. It never smells unless you mince up its foliage and what gardener would want to put it in the Cuisinart! Plant in full to part sun. Deer resistant.

By: Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.

The stinking hellebore (not really, just its common name) has bird foot deep green leaves. In spring, the flowers are on stems up to 12” and are greenish. H. foetidis was available 20 years ago, but isn't seen as much anymore. But, it's a wonderful perennial.

By: Gossler Farms

?An invaluable plant for sun or shade and a marvelous foil for silver foliage plants? (G.S. Thomas); handsome deeply-divided, very dark-green leaves and airy clusters of green and maroon bells; 18" x 18". S-PSh/M.

By: Forestfarm

Beautifully sculpted blue-green leaves on 2' stems display cupped, apple green flowers with red edges in mid-winter – part shade, most soils – great cut flowers, deer proof – will slowly expand to form a little colony – easy care – long lived! We plant these with other hellebores, ferns and hostas for a lovely woodland effect. Will compete with tree roots.

By: Secret Garden Growers

An intriguing grass for the shade which is perfect for the formal Japanese garden. Variegated but nearly all yellow, the leaf blades have narrow green stripes, mostly near the margins. Perhaps its most fascinating attribute is the cascading habit in which most of the leaves arch in the same direction, appearing much like a golden waterfall. Plant this grass where it will cascade down slopes, drape over rocks, crawl over the edges of walls, at the front of the garden, or even in containers.

By: Noname Nursery

Perhaps the hardiest of the Hellebores, this handsome evergreen plant begins producing flowering stalks in early winter with pale green blossoms, which continue to emerge through March and into April. Our seedling strain of H. foetidus has 'Wester Flisk' and 'Sopron' in its heritage, and seedlings vary ever so slightly but many have red tints to the leaf petioles and stems, and a slight silvery overcast to the foliage. H. foetidus is a caulescent form and blossoms are formed on stems from the previous year. Grows 18-24" tall and self sows very well for naturalizing..

By: Avant Gardens

A clumping evergreen perennial. Strong, erect stems bear many, dark green, divided leaves. In Winter branches of single, pale green, rose-like flowers are produced and which persist for several weeks. Provide with an alkaline, well drained soil. Plant the crown below the soil level. Tough and very easy to grow.

By: Zephs

An extremely winter hardy hellebore with green flowers very early in the spring.

By: Hoot Owl Hollow Nursery

In 2005, we received Hellebore seeds from Russell Graham, the renowned plantsman from Corvallis, Oregon. He has collected seeds from the best seedlings in his H. orientale breeding program & also from his best seedlings of other Hellebore species -- we lucky he has generously shared with us. H. foetidus has very attractive, deeply divided leaves (like bear paws?) & when the weather cools in Winter, the leaf color turns an even darker olive green. The many divided leaf segment lace together & cover the plant well. In mid-Winter to early Spring, the 2’ flower spikes bear bell shaped green flowers, often with purple margins & nicely scented. The “foetidus” (fetid) in the name does not refer to the scent of the flowers but rather the smell of the foliage when bruised, but even then the scent is quite mild. Like other Hellebores, a great plant for the dry shade garden but it will also do well in sun.

By: Annie's Annuals & Perennials

Large sprays of apple green flowers rise above stems of fine, linear dark green leaves. 3' x 3'

Helleborus foetidus plant details

CHARACTERISTICS OF Helleborus foetidus

GROWING CONDITIONS for Helleborus foetidus

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