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There are about 15 species of hellebores, with four more commonly found, the most common being the Lenten Rose (orientalis) and the Christmas Rose (niger). The Christmas rose blooms much earlier in mild climates such as in Britain, hence its name. One of the legends about it concerns a country girl, Madelon, who visits the Christ child in Bethlehem. Seeing her sadness for not having a gift to bring him, an angel brings her outside and touches the ground. There arise blooms of the Christmas Rose that she can then present as a gift to the baby Jesus.
However, gardeners should always bear in mind that this species and the other members of this genus are highly toxic. It is one of the four classic poisons, together with nightshade, hemlock, and aconite. In fact, the name hellebore comes from the Greek “elein” meaning to injure, and “bora” meaning food. For example, Hellebore was the poison sought by Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey.
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It’s hellebore season! Commonly called Lenten rose or Christmas rose, these early bloomers offer so many flower colors and forms. Stop in for a visit and see the diversity we have in our collection. I’ll be leading a Hellebores Garden Walk this Friday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to noon. See our website for details. - Andy Brand, Curator of Living Collections
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