Helleborus orientalis 'STAR OF PASSION'

Hellebore (Lenten rose) is not a new plant to Czech and Slovak gardens. I remember those flowering stems that surprisingly pushed through the snow in late winter and I kept asking grandma how come that a plant can flower while there is still snow on the ground. These evergreen perennials are still very popular, mainly thanks to newly hybridized varieties with fantastic flowers.

Star of Passion is a unique Lenten rose variety producing a profusion of flowers like deep maroon satin. They are large, 6-7 cm across, single, decorated with yellow stamens in the centre, and borne atop about 30 cm tall stems. Most of them are nodding like bellflowers, only some raise their heads towards the sky or to the sides. They begin to bloom from the first frost-free days of the second half of winter, and new buds are formed for more than a month while earlier flowers mature. Evergreen leaves are dark green, leathery, large, and highly glossy. If they are exhausted and unsightly after the growing season you can remove them just before stems with flower buds emerge.

Hellebore likes heavy, evenly moist, neutral to alkaline, rich in humus soil in dappled shade or filtered sun. This hybrid will prefer at least half a day with direct sunlight. Fertilizing will increase flowering and help the leaves remain strong and nice throughout the winter. Grow it somewhere near your house entrance or close to the window you look out of frequently so that you can enjoy the plant when it starts flowering since at that time the weather outside is not yet ideal for walking around the garden. The flowers can cheer up a number of grey and dull days of late winter therefore thumbs up for hellebore! Harmful if eaten. Hardy to about -29 °C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 15-03-2023