Helleborus foetidus

Common name: Stinking Hellebore

Description: Helleborus foetidus is a distinctive and highly architectural native woodland plant — despite its common name, it has only a faint scent when foliage is bruised. This evergreen perennial produces deeply divided, dark, near-black green leaves throughout the year, and from late winter to spring bears large clusters of small, drooping, cup-shaped pale green flowers edged with burgundy-red. A superb plant for dry shade under trees and shrubs, it is one of the earliest flowers to appear in the garden and is invaluable for winter interest.

Other benefits: valuable early nectar for pollinators, thrives in dry shade, striking evergreen foliage, UK native

Wildlife attraction: bees and early pollinators in late winter; provides cover for ground beetles

Height & spread (approx.) at 10 years: 60cm x 60cm

Position: partial shade to full shade; tolerates dry conditions

Soil pH: neutral to alkaline; chalky soils tolerated

Moisture: well-drained; excellent in dry shade

Winter hardiness: cold hardy to -20°C