Helleborus 'ET EPB 1717' FROSTKISS VIBEY VELVET

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. The FROSTKISS™ series was put together by the Dutch company Eternal Plant Boijl and includes several beautiful varieties that boast not only charming flowers, but also with very attractive leaves as they were crossbred with species whose leaf aesthetics often surpass the beauty of the flowers. And in the case of these hybrids, it was possible to achieve both in one plant and as an addition comes the high frost-resistance of its open flowers.

FROSTKISS™ VIBEY VELVET hellebore was bred by Elisabeth Bisschop and Bart Noordhuis from the Dutch nursery Kwekerij Verboom as a cross between h. orientalis and h. x ericsmithii. In Europe it is included in the Frostkiss™ collection and in the USA in the Winter Angels™ series. Protected by US patent No. PP34456 from 2022.

FROSTKISS™ VIBEY VELVET bears 6-8 cm wide, single flowers with 5, almost rounded, overlapping, velvety maroon petals. Centres are decorated with a bunch of creamy white stamens and a small chartreuse crown creating a typical anemone-like appearance. The stems are about 40 cm high, dark reddish-brown, and the flowers face sideways. Even outside the flowering period which is 2-3 months starting February, the plant will show off with its other feature: evergreen leaves. They are very attractive, palmately divided into 5, broadly ovate, dark green, partially glossy leaflets with prominent, light green veins.

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 gloomy days of late winter therefore thumbs up for hellebore! Hardy to min. -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 19-02-2024