View source for Hellebore

{{Short description|Genus of plants}}
{{about||the magazine devoted to British folk horror and the occult|Hellebore (magazine)|the lake on Vancouver Island|Hellebore Lake}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Illustration Helleborus niger0.jpg
| image_caption = 19th c. illustration of ''Helleborus niger'', by [[Otto Wilhelm Thomé]]
| display_parents = 2
| parent_authority = DC.
| taxon = Helleborus
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]<ref name="Linnaeus1753"/>
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text
}}

Commonly known as '''hellebores''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|ɛ|l|@|b|ɔər|z}}), the [[Eurasia]]n<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hellebore|title=Definition of HELLEBORE|website=www.merriam-webster.com|date=24 February 2024 }}</ref> [[genus]] '''''Helleborus''''' consists of approximately 20 [[species]] of [[herbaceous]] or [[evergreen]] [[perennial plant|perennial]] [[flowering plant]]s in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Ranunculaceae]], within which it gave its name to the [[tribe (biology)|tribe]] of '''Helleboreae'''. Many hellebore<ref>{{Cite web |title=Guide to Growing Hellebore Flowers |url=https://vocal.media/lifehack/guide-to-growing-hellebore-flowers |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=Lifehack |language=en}}</ref> species are poisonous.

Despite [[common names]] such as ''winter rose'',<ref name="yates.co.nz">{{cite web |title=Hellebores' roses of winter - Yates |url=http://www.yates.co.nz/flowers/grow/hellebores-roses-of-winter/ |website=www.yates.co.nz}}</ref> ''Christmas rose'', and ''Lenten rose'', hellebores are not closely related to the rose family ([[Rosaceae]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Christmas Rose |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/115734/Christmas-rose |access-date=2014-06-18}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
{{Wiktionary|hellebore}}
The common name "hellebore" is first attested in 1300s; it originates, via [[Old French]] and [[Latin]], ultimately from {{langx|grc|ἑλλέβορος|translit=helléboros}}. Although traditionally translated as "plant eaten by [[fawn]]s", this could be [[folk etymology]] and, according to [[Beekes]], really a [[Pre-Greek]] word.<ref>{{cite web |title=hellebore (n.) |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/hellebore#etymonline_v_9127 |website=Online Etymology Dictionary |publisher=Douglas Harper |date=2001 |access-date=5 September 2024}}</ref> It is [[false friend|''not'' related]] to the word "[[hell]]", despite the toxic nature of this plant.

In [[Anglo-Saxon England]], the [[Anglo-Latin]] word ''elleborus'' had varied meanings. Around 900 AD, it was linked with "''tunsingwyrt''" (various spellings; likely an [[allium]] such as [[wild garlic]]) in the [[Old English Herbarium]]. [[Ælfric of Eynsham]] seemed to assert that ''elleborus'' had no vernacular Old English translation; by the early 11th century, "''wodewistle''" was used to [[interlinear gloss|gloss]] the word, possibly referring to [[Conium maculatum|hemlock]] or similar. These shifts reflect the developing understanding of Latin plant names in Old English texts.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hall |first=Alaric |title=Elleborus in Anglo-Saxon England, 900–1100: Tunsingwyrt and Wodewistle |url=https://www.academia.edu/7309837|date=2013|journal=[[University of Leeds]]}}</ref>

== Description ==
The flowers have five petal-like [[sepal]]s surrounding a ring of small, cup-like [[nectaries]] which are actually [[petal]]s modified to hold [[nectar]]. The sepals do not fall as petals would, but remain on the plant, sometimes for many months. The persistence of the sepals may contribute to the development of the [[seed]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Herrera |first1=C. M. |title=Post-floral perianth functionality: contribution of persistent sepals to seed development in Helleborus foetidus (Ranunculaceae) |journal=American Journal of Botany |date=1 September 2005 |volume=92 |issue=9 |pages=1486–1491 |doi=10.3732/ajb.92.9.1486 |doi-access=free |pmid=21646166 |hdl=10261/40233 |s2cid=9062980 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

== Taxonomy ==
The genus was established by [[Carl Linnaeus]] in volume one of his ''[[Species Plantarum]]'' in 1753.<ref name="Linnaeus1753">{{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=Carolus | title=Species Plantarum| volume=1 | publisher=Laurentii Salvii |location=Stockholm | year=1753|chapter= Tomus&nbsp;I | chapter-url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358576| page=557|language=la}}</ref>

The scientific name ''Helleborus'' could derive from the [[Ancient Greek]] word {{wikt-lang|grc|ἑλλέβορος}} ({{grc-transl|ἑλλέβορος}}), the common name for ''[[Helleborus orientalis|H.&nbsp;orientalis]]'', constructed from {{wikt-lang|grc|ἑλεῖν}} ({{grc-transl|ἑλεῖν}}, "to injure") and {{wikt-lang|grc|βορά}} ({{grc-transl|βορά}}), "food.".<ref name="Cornell">{{cite web |url=http://poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu/christmasrose/christmasrose.html |title=''Helleborus niger'' – Christmas Rose |website=Department of Animal Science – Plants Poisonous to Livestock |publisher=Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Abrégé du dictionnaire grec français |last=Bailly |first=Anatole |date=1981 |publisher=Hachette |isbn=978-2010035289 |location=Paris |oclc=461974285 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Greek-french dictionary online |last=Bailly |first=Anatole |website=www.tabularium.be |url=http://www.tabularium.be/bailly/ |access-date=6 January 2018}}</ref> It is also possibly from Greek, ἄλκη “fawn”, βιβρώσκω (bibrṓskō, “to eat”).<ref>{{Cite web |title=hellebore - Wiktionary |url=https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hellebore|access-date=2021-03-02 |website=en.wiktionary.org |language=en}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=April 2024|certain=yes}}

=== Species and subspecies ===
Twenty-two species are recognised and divided into six sections.<ref name="Meiners">{{cite journal |last1=Meiners |first1=Julia |last2=Debener |first2=Thomas |last3=Schweizer |first3=Guenther |last4=Winkelmann |first4=Traud |date=February 2011 |title=Analysis of the taxonomic subdivision within the genus ''Helleborus'' by nuclear DNA content and genome-wide DNA markers |journal=Scientia Horticulturae |volume=128 |issue=1 |pages=38–47 |doi=10.1016/j.scienta.2010.12.011|bibcode=2011ScHor.128...38M }}</ref>
The table below shows the species of the genus ''Helleborus'', give its common name, the area of distribution, an image if available and the meaning of the scientific name.<ref name="Meiners" /><ref name="Werner&Ebel">{{cite journal |last1=Werner |first1=Klaus |last2=Ebel |first2=Friedrich |date=June 1994 |title=Zur Lebensgeschichte der Gattung Helleborus L. (Ranunculaceae) |trans-title=Life history of the genus Hellehorus L. (Ranunculaceae) |journal=Flora |language=de |volume=189 |issue=2 |pages=97–130 |doi=10.1016/S0367-2530(17)30578-9}}</ref><ref name="Rottensteiner">{{cite journal |last1=Rottensteiner |first1=W. |date=1 April 2016 |title=Attempt Of A Morphological Differentiation Of Helleborus Species In The Northwestern Balkans |journal=Modern Phytomorphology |volume=9 |issue=Suppl |pages=17–33 |doi=10.5281/zenodo.159701}}</ref> The cladogram shows the relationship between the different species determined with microbiological methods by Meiners et al. (2011).<ref name="Meiners" />
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:20%" |Name !! Common name!! meaning of the scientific name !! class="unsortable" |Distribution area !! class="unsortable" |Color of the flower !! class="unsortable" | Image 
|- 
| colspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid black 3px; border-top: 3px solid black;" | '''Subgenus ''Helleborus'' ''' || colspan="4" style="border-bottom: 3px solid black; border-top: 3px solid black;" |
|-
| colspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid black 2px; border-top: 3px solid black;padding-left:2em" | '''I. sect. Griphopus''' <small> Spach em. Schiffner </small> || colspan="4" style="border-bottom: 2px solid black; border-top: 3px solid black;" | gryphon + foot
|-
| ''[[Helleborus foetidus]]'' <small>L. </small> <br />1753 || stinking hellebore or setterwort||stinking || SW – M Europe  ||green, commonly red rim ||[[File:Helleborus_foetidus_re.jpg |150px]]
|-
| colspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid black 2px; border-top: 2px solid black;padding-left:2em" |'''II. sect. Chenopus''' <small>Schiffner</small>|| colspan="4" style="border-bottom: 2px solid black; border-top: 2px solid black;" | goose + foot
|-
|''[[Helleborus lividus]]'' <small>Aiton</small> <br /> 1789|| || lead colored, bluish   ||Majorca  ||green ||[[File: Helleborus lividus (23794254383).jpg |150px]]
|-
|''[[Helleborus argutifolius]]'' <small>Viv. </small> <br />1824 || Corsican hellebore<br />often ''H. lividus'' <small>Aiton</small> subsp. ''corsicus'' <small> (BRIQ.) P. FOURN. </small>|| sharp-leafed<ref name="RHSLG">{{cite book |last=Harrison |first=Lorraine |title=RHS Latin for Gardeners |publisher=Mitchell Beazley |year=2012 |isbn=978-1845337315 |location=United Kingdom}}</ref> || Corsica, Sardinia ||green, white ||  [[File:Helleborus_argutifolius1.jpg |150px]]
|-
| colspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid black 2px; border-top: 2px solid black;padding-left:2em" | '''III. sect. Helleborus'''<br />[sect. Chionorhodon <small>Spach</small>]|| colspan="4" style="border-bottom: 2px solid black; border-top: 2px solid black;" |snow, rose
|-
| ''[[Helleborus niger]]'' <small>L. </small> <br />1753 || Christmas rose or black hellebore || black ||Croatia, Slovenia, N Italy, Switzerland, Austria, S Germany || white, later pink || [[File:Helleborus_niger_Kaiser.jpg |150px]]
|-
| style="padding-left:2em" | subsp. ''macranthus''|| || || || white, later pink ||
|-
| style="padding-left:2em" |subsp. ''niger'' <small>L. </small>|| || || || white, later pink ||[[File:Helleborus niger 001.JPG |150px]]
|-
| colspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid black 2px; border-top: 3px solid black;" | '''Subgenus Helleborastrum''' <small> (Spach) </small> || colspan="4" style="border-bottom: 2px solid black; border-top: 3px solid black;" |
|-
| colspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid black 2px; border-top: 3px solid black;padding-left:2em" | '''IV. sect. Syncarpus''' <small>Schiffer</small> || colspan="4" style="border-bottom: 2px solid black; border-top: 3px solid black;" | with/together + flower (3 flowers fused together)
|-
| ''[[Helleborus vesicarius]]'' <br /> <small>Aucher ex Boiss. </small> 1841|| || || SE Turkey, NW Syria || red||
|-
| colspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid black 2px; border-top: 2px solid black;padding-left:2em" | '''V. sect. Dicarpon''' <small>Ulbrich</small> || colspan="4" style="border-bottom: 2px solid black; border-top: 2px solid black;" | two + flower (2 flowers fused together)
|-
| ''[[Helleborus thibetanus]]'' <small>Franch. </small>  <br />1885 || || || China  ||pink || [[File:Helleborus thibetanus1.jpg |150px]]
|-
| colspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid black 2px; border-top: 2px solid black;padding-left:2em" | '''VI. sect. Helleborastrum''' <small>Spach</small> || colspan="4" style="border-bottom: 2px solid black; border-top: 3px solid black;" | hellebore + resembling
|-
| ''[[Helleborus abruzzicus]]''<br /> <small>M.Thomsen, McLewin & B.Mathew </small> || || [[Abruzzo]]||  middle Italy ||whitish, greenish   ||
|-
| ''[[Helleborus atrorubens]]''<br /> <small>Waldst. & Kit. </small> 1812 || || dark, red   || Slovenia, N Croatia, Bosnia, former Yugoslavia || reddish, purple || [[File: Helleborus_atrorubens_RHS.jpeg |150px]]
|-
| ''[[Helleborus bocconei]]'' <br /><small>Ten. </small> 1823|| || Botanist [[Paolo Boccone]] || S Italy, Sicily || white || [[File:Helleborus_bocconei_2.jpg |150px]]
|-
| ''[[Helleborus croaticus]]''<br /> <small>Martinis</small> 1973 || || from Croatia || NE Croatia || reddish violet || [[File: Helleborus_croaticus1.jpg |150px]]
|-
| ''[[Helleborus cyclophyllus]]''<br /> <small>(A.Braun) Boiss. </small> 1867 || ||Circle, leafs  || Greece, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria|| green, light green, whitish|| [[File:Helleborus_cyclophyllus.jpg |150px]]
|-
| ''[[Helleborus dumetorum]]''<br /> <small>Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd. </small> 1809|| || || Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Austria, || green to white ||[[ File:Helleborus_dumetorum.jpg |150px]]
|-
| ''[[Helleborus liguricus]]''<br /> <small>M.Thomsen, McLewin & B.Mathew</small> || || from [[Liguria]] || Italy (Ligura, Tuscany) || green to white ||
|-
| ''[[Helleborus multifidus]]''<br /> <small>Vis. </small> || ||multiple segmented || Croatia, Herzegovina|| green ||
|-
| style="padding-left:2em" | subsp. ''hercegovinus''|| ||from Herzegovina  || Montenegro, Hercegovina || yellow-green ||
|-
| style="padding-left:2em" | subsp. ''istriacus''|| || from [[Istria]] || NE Italy, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro|| green ||
|-
| style="padding-left:2em" |subsp. ''multifidus'' || || multiple segmented || Albania and former Yugoslavia ||
|-
| ''[[Helleborus odorus]]'' <br /><small>Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd. </small> 1809|| || odorant || S- and SE Europe with <br />focus at the Balkans || green bis yellowish-green||[[File: Helleborus odorus (Ranunculaceae) plant.jpg |150px]]
|-
| style="padding-left:2em" | subsp. ''odorus'' <small>L. </small> || || odorant || ||
|-
| ''[[Helleborus orientalis]]'' <small>Lam.</small> <br />1789 ||Lenten rose, Lenten hellebore, oriental hellebore ||from the east || N Turkey, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia, Caucasus || white, yellowish, pink ||[[File:Helleborus orientalis.jpg |150px]] 
|-
| style="padding-left:2em" | subsp. ''abchasicus'' <br /><small> (A. Braun) Mathew</small>|| || from [[Abchasia]] || Georgia  || pink, reddish ||[[File:Helleborus_orientalis_IMG_4142_C.JPG |150px]]
|-
| style="padding-left:2em" | subsp. ''guttatus'' <br /><small> (A. Braun & Sauer) Mathew</small>|| ||dotted|| || ||
|-
| style="padding-left:2em" | subsp. ''orientalis'' ||''H. caucasicus, H. kochii'', occasionally used for ssp. ''gutatus'' + ''abchasicus'' || from the east || || reddish ||
|-
| ''[[Helleborus purpurascens]]''<br /> <small> Waldst. & Kit. </small> 1802|| || purple / red|| Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Romania || violet, brown ||[[File:Helleborus_purpurascens_001.JPG |150px]]
|-
| ''[[Helleborus torquatus]]''<br /> <small>Archer-Hind</small> 1884|| ||adorned with a necklet || Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro || green, violet ||[[File:Helleborus_torquatus_-_Flickr_-_peganum_(2).jpg |150px]]
|-
| ''[[Helleborus viridis]]'' <small>L. </small>  <br /> 1753|| green hellebore or bear's-foot || green || Austria, N Italy, Switzerland, S Germany || green ||[[File:Helleborus viridis (hellébore vert) - W.Sandras.jpg |150px]]
|-
| style="padding-left:2em" |subsp''. occidentalis'' <br />1869 || || from the west  || N Spain, SW France (Naturalised in France, Germany, Great Britain) || green ||
|}
{{cladogram
|caption=Cladogram of evolutionary lines in ''Helleborus'' from Meiners et al.(2011) <ref name="Meiners"/>
|cladogram={{clade|style=font-size:85%;line-height:75%;width:300px;thickness=2;
|align=''center''
|1={{clade|thickness=2
|  1={{clade|thickness=2
|    label1=sec. Griphopus
|    1=''H. foetidus''
|    2={{clade|thickness=2
|      label1=sec. Helleborus
|      1=''H. niger''
|      label2=sec. Chenopus
|      2= {{clade|thickness=2
|        1= ''H. argutifolius''
|        2= ''H. lividus''}}
       }}  
     }}
   }}
| label1=Subgenus Helleborus
| 2={{clade|thickness=2
|      label1=sec. Syncarpus
|       1= ''H. vesicarius''
|       2= {{clade|thickness=2
|         label1=sec. Dicarpon
|         1= ''H. thibetanus''
|         label2=sec. helleboastrum
|         2={{clade|thickness=2
|            1={{clade|thickness=2
|               1= ''H. dumetorum''
|               2= ''H. purpurascens''  }}
|               2={{clade|thickness=2
|                  1={{clade|thickness=2
|                    1={{clade|thickness=2
|                       1=''H. croaticus''
|                       2={{clade|thickness=2
|                          1={{clade|thickness=2
|                              1={{clade|thickness=2
|                                1= ''H. multifidus''
|                                2= ''H. abruzzicus''}}
|                          2={{clade|thickness=2
|                               1= ''H. hercegovinus''
|                               2= ''H. liguricus''}}
                          }}
                        }}
                      }}
|                   2={{clade|thickness=2
|                         1={{clade|thickness=2
|                            1={{clade|thickness=2
|                                 1= ''H. atrorubens''
|                                 2= ''H. viridis''}}
|                            2={{clade|thickness=2
|                                 1={{clade|thickness=2
|                                     1={{clade|thickness=2
|                                         1= ''H. cyclophyllus''
|                                         2= ''H. torquatus''}}
|                                      2=''H. orientalis''}}
|                                 2= ''H. odorus''
                                  }}
                               }}
                         }}
                }}
           }}
      }}
 }}
 }}
|label2=Subgenus Helleborastrum
}}
}}

====Caulescent species====
[[File:Helleborus orientalis, Zaaddozen zwellen, Locatie, Tuinreservaat Jonkervallei 01.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8 |Swelling seed pods, ''Helleborus orientalis'']]
[[File:Helleborus thibetanus.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8 |''Helleborus thibetanus'']]

These four species have leaves on their flowering stems (in ''H. vesicarius'' the stems die back each year; it also has basal leaves).

* ''[[Helleborus argutifolius]]'' – '''Corsican hellebore'''
* ''[[Helleborus foetidus]]'' – '''stinking hellebore''' or '''setterwort'''
* ''[[Helleborus lividus]]''
* ''[[Helleborus vesicarius]]''

====Acaulescent (stemless) species====
These species have basal leaves. They have no true leaves on their flower stalks (although there are leafy bracts where the flower stalks branch).

* ''[[Helleborus atrorubens]]''
* ''[[Helleborus croaticus]]''
* ''[[Helleborus cyclophyllus]]''
* ''[[Helleborus dumetorum]]''
* ''[[Helleborus abruzzicus]]''
* ''[[Helleborus liguricus]]''
* ''[[Helleborus bocconei]]''
* ''[[Helleborus multifidus]]''
** ''Helleborus multifidus'' subsp. ''hercegovinus''
** ''Helleborus multifidus'' subsp. ''istriacus''
** ''Helleborus multifidus'' subsp. ''multifidus''
* ''[[Helleborus niger]]'' – '''Christmas rose''' or '''black hellebore'''
** ''Helleborus niger'' subsp. ''macranthus'' (syn. ''[[Helleborus niger major|H. niger major]]'')
** ''Helleborus niger'' subsp. ''niger''
* ''[[Helleborus odorus]]''
** ''Helleborus odorus'' subsp. ''laxus''
** ''Helleborus odorus'' subsp. ''odorus''
* ''[[Helleborus orientalis]]'' – '''Lenten rose''', '''Lenten hellebore''', '''oriental hellebore''' ('''''N.B.''''' most of the Lenten hellebores in gardens are now considered to be ''H.'' × ''hybridus''<!-- NB for Editors: Please keep hybrid × signs outside inverted commas, otherwise they will appear italicised on certain browsers -->)
** ''Helleborus orientalis'' subsp. ''abchasicus'' (syn. ''[[Helleborus abchasicus|H. abchasicus]]'')
** ''Helleborus orientalis'' subsp. ''guttatus''
** ''Helleborus orientalis'' subsp. ''orientalis'' (syn. ''[[Helleborus caucasicus|H. caucasicus]], [[Helleborus kochii|H. kochii]]'')
* ''[[Helleborus purpurascens]]''
* ''[[Helleborus thibetanus]] ''(syn''. [[Helleborus chinensis|H. chinensis]]'')
* ''[[Helleborus torquatus]]''
* ''[[Helleborus viridis]]'' - '''green hellebore''' or '''bear's-foot'''
* ''[[Helleborus occidentalis]]'' (formerly ''[[Helleborus viridis|H. viridis]]'' subsp. ''occidentalis'')

Other species names (now considered invalid) may be encountered in older literature, including ''H. hyemalis'', ''H. polychromus'', ''H. ranunculinus'', ''H. trifolius''.

====Hellebore hybrids====
<!-- NB for editors: Please keep hybrid × signs outside inverted commas, otherwise they will appear italicised on certain browsers -->
[[File:Lenteroos rood plant.jpg|thumb|''H.'' × ''hybridus'' in a garden]]

[[Hybridization (biology)|Hybridising]] (deliberate and accidental) between ''H. orientalis'' and several other closely related species and subspecies has vastly improved the colour-range of the flowers, which now extends from slate grey, near-black, deep purple and plum, through rich red and pinks to yellow, white and green. The outer surface of the sepals is often green-tinged, and as the flower ages it usually becomes greener inside and out; individual flowers often remain on the plant for a month or more. The inner surface of each sepal may be marked with veins, or dotted or blotched with pink, red or purple. "[[Picotee]]" flowers, whose pale-coloured sepals have narrow margins of a darker colour, are much sought-after, as are those with dark nectaries which contrast with the outer sepals.

Recent breeding programmes have also created double-flowered and anemone-centred plants. Ironically, doing this is actually reversing the [[evolution]]ary process in which hellebores' true petals had been modified into [[nectar]]ies; it is usually these nectaries which become the extra petals in double, semi-double and anemone-centred flowers. [[Double-flowered]] hellebores<ref>{{cite web |title=Double Hellebores |url=http://www.derbyshiregarden.com/hellebores.php |access-date=9 October 2007 |archive-date=11 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511162121/http://www.derbyshiregarden.com/hellebores.php}}</ref> provide a very interesting variation to the standard hellebore. They are generally easy to maintain and share the same planting conditions as the standard hellebore.

Semi-double flowers have one or two extra rows of petals; doubles have more. Their inner petals are generally very like the outer ones in colour and patterning. They are often of a similar length and shape, though they may be slightly shorter and narrower, and some are attractively waved or ruffled. By contrast, anemone-centred flowers have, cupped within the five normal outer petals, a ring of much shorter, more curved extra petals (sometimes trumpet-shaped, intermediate in appearance between petals and nectaries), which may be a different colour from the outer petals. These short, extra petals (sometimes known as "petaloids") drop off after the flower has been [[pollination|pollinated]], leaving an apparently single flower, whereas doubles and semi-doubles tend to retain their extra petals after pollination.

====Interspecific hybrids====
Gardeners and [[nursery (horticulture)|nurserymen]] have also created hybrids between less closely related species. The earliest was probably ''H.'' × ''nigercors'', a cross between ''[[Helleborus niger|H.&nbsp;&nbsp;niger]]'' and ''H.&nbsp;argutifolius'' (formerly ''H.&nbsp;lividus'' subsp. ''corsicus'' or ''H.&nbsp;corsicus'', hence the name) first made in 1931.{{cn|date=April 2024}} ''H.'' × ''sternii'', a cross between ''H.&nbsp;argutifolius'' and ''H.&nbsp;lividus'', first exhibited in 1947, is named after the celebrated British [[plantsman]] Sir [[Frederick Claude Stern|Frederick Stern]].{{cn|date=April 2024}} ''H.'' × ''ballardiae'' (''H.&nbsp;niger'' crossed with ''H.&nbsp;lividus'') and ''H.'' × ''ericsmithii'' (''H. niger'' crossed with ''H.'' × ''sternii'') similarly commemorate the noted British nursery owners [[Helen Ballard]] and Eric Smith.{{cn|date=April 2024}} In recent years, Ashwood Nurseries (of [[Kingswinford]] in the [[English Midlands]]) has created hybrids between ''H.&nbsp;niger'' and ''H.&nbsp;thibetanus'' (called ''H.'' 'Pink Ice'),<ref>{{cite web |title=Helleborus x belcheri 'Pink Ice' |website=Ashwood Nurseries |url=https://www.ashwoodnurseries.com/shop/helleborus-x-belcheri-pink-ice-9137.html |access-date=2025-04-03}}</ref> and between ''H.&nbsp;niger'' and ''H.&nbsp;vesicarius'' (called ''H.'' 'Briar Rose').{{cn|date=April 2024}} The gardenworthiness of these hybrids has still to be proven.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

The following hellebore species and cultivars have gained the [[Royal Horticultural Society]]'s [[Award of Garden Merit]]:

* ''H. argutifolius''<ref>{{cite web |title=RHS Plant Selector Helleborus argutifolius AGM / RHS Gardening |url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=946 |access-date=2012-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218144224/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=946 |archive-date=18 December 2019 |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk}}</ref>
* ''H. foetidus''<ref>{{cite web |title=RHS Plant Selector Helleborus foetidus AGM / RHS Gardening |url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=3063 |access-date=2012-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204085304/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=3063 |archive-date=4 February 2012 |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk}}</ref>
* ''H. lividus''<ref>{{cite web |title=RHS Plant Selector Helleborus lividus AGM / RHS Gardening |url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=3064 |access-date=2012-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218144205/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=3064 |archive-date=18 December 2019 |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk}}</ref>
* ''H. niger''<ref>{{cite web |title=RHS Plant Selector Helleborus niger AGM / RHS Gardening |url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=947 |access-date=2012-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208132201/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=947 |archive-date=8 December 2013 |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk}}</ref>
* ''H.'' × ''sternii'' 'Blackthorn Group'<ref>{{cite web |title=RHS Plant Selector Helleborus × sternii Blackthorn Group AGM / RHS Gardening |url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=948 |access-date=2012-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909012919/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=948 |archive-date=2015-09-09 |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk}}</ref>
* ''H.'' {{tdes|Walberton's Rosemary}} 'Walhero'(PBR) (sometimes listed under ''H.'' × ''hybridus'')<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/285134/Helleborus-Walberton-s-Rosemary-Walhero-(PBR)/Details |title=''Helleborus'' Walberton's Rosemary 'Walhero'(PBR) |website=www.rhs.org |publisher=Royal Horticultural Society |access-date=6 August 2020}}</ref>

==Distribution==
Various species of this genus originated in [[Europe]] and [[Asia]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.info-helleborus.eu/en/over-de-helleborus |title=About the Helleborus |access-date=2014-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724214104/http://www.info-helleborus.eu/en/over-de-helleborus |archive-date=24 July 2014}}</ref> The greatest concentration of species occurs in the [[Balkans]]. One atypical species (''H.&nbsp;thibetanus'') comes from western [[China]]; another atypical species (''H.&nbsp;vesicarius'') inhabits a small area on the border between [[Turkey]] and [[Syria]].

{{multiple image
|total_width=440
|align = center
|image1 = Distribution map helleborus europe1(2).png
|image2 = Distribution map helleborus europe2(2).png
|footer = Distribution maps of 19 species of Helleborus in Europe and Asia (left) and in southeast Europe (right)
}}

==Pests and diseases==
===Insects===
====''Phytomyza hellebori''====
More commonly known as the '''Hellebore leaf miner''', ''[[Phytomyza hellebori]]'' is a small fly that infests only the ''[[Helleborus foetidus|H.&nbsp;foetidus]]'' plants in the Hellebore genus. The [[leaf miner]] fly digs tunnels into the leaves of the ''H.&nbsp;foetidus.'' The tunnels create brownish-black blotches on the plant. These later turn into a nesting ground where the flies lay their eggs. With time, the leaves turn a brownish-white along where the tunnels were dug. The larvae start to eat the inside of the leaves in August, and damage develops from the late summer to the early spring, with heavy attacks leaving the foliage disfigured by spring.<ref name="RHS - Leaf Miner">{{cite web|title=Hellebore leaf miner |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=535 |website=Royal Horticulture Society}}</ref>

To control heavy infestations, the leaves can be removed and destroyed during the winter months before the adult flies emerge. Insecticides can be used with limited effectiveness in controlling larvae and fly populations in the plant. Insecticides may harm non-leaf miner flies if applied during the hellebore's flowering period.<ref name="RHS - Leaf Miner" />

====''Macrosiphum hellebori''====
''[[Macrosiphum hellebori]]'', commonly known as 'Hellebore aphid' or 'greenfly', is a sap-feeding [[aphid]] that infests the flowers and foliage of hellebore plants. The whitish-green aphids are about {{Convert|2–4|mm|abbr=off|frac=32}} long and form dense colonies on hellebores, coating them with a honeydew that can lead to the growth of sooty mold on the leaves and flowers of the hellebore. This species of aphid only affects hellebores and is most active in March and April when the hellebores are flowering and when few aphid predators are around, though they may infest during any time of the year.<ref name="RHS - Aphid">{{cite web|title=Hellebore Aphid|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=534|website=Royal Horticultural Society}}</ref><ref name="Australia - Aphids">{{cite journal |last1=Valenzuela |first1=Isabel |last2=Carver |first2=Mary |last3=Malipatil |first3=Mallik B |last4=Ridland |first4=Peter M |title=Occurrence of Macrosiphum hellebori Theobald & Walton (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Australia |journal=Australian Journal of Entomology |date=May 2009 |volume=48 |issue=2 |pages=125–129 |doi=10.1111/j.1440-6055.2009.00696.x }}</ref>

Aphids start their feeding from the outside the flowers, beginning at the leaves and then moving towards the flower petals of the hellebore. As the hellebore begins to open, the aphids try to move into the flower. The aphids then feed on the inner parts of the plant as well as the young stems and shoots. As the population grows, the aphids eventually eat the remaining parts of the plant, such as older leaves, for food.<ref name="Australia - Aphids" />

Aphid infestations can be controlled through persistent squashing of the aphids manually or by using insecticides. It is not recommended to spray flowering hellebores as it may harm the non-aphid pollinating insects.<ref name="RHS - Aphid" />

===Diseases===
==== ''Botrytis cinerea'' ====
''[[Botrytis cinerea]]'' or grey mold is a [[fungal]] disease that infects most ornamental plants. The fungus causes a decay of plant tissues and grows fuzzy gray-brown mold over the decaying areas, such as the buds, leaves, and flowers. Parts of the plant may shrivel and die after exposure to the mold, particularly the flowers. Typically the fungus infects plants only through an open wound or when the plant is under stress, but it has also been known to infect plants in humid conditions. If the humidity is low, the mold may be contained to discrete spots on the plant, but the mold has been known to spread rapidly in highly humid conditions. Grey mold is not seasonally dependent and can infect a plant at any time of the year. The fungus forms black seed-like structures in the dead plant tissue to create its [[spores]] to help it survive when new host plants are scarce. The spores are spread through the air to new plants.<ref name="RHS - Grey Mould">{{cite web|title=Grey Mould |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=165|website=Royal Horticulture Society}}</ref>

To treat the infected plant, the first step is to remove infected and dying leaves, buds, and flowers immediately along with any other dead plant materials around the hellebore. The next step is to reduce the humidity around the plant by improving the ventilation and ensuring the plants are not overcrowded.<ref name="RHS - Grey Mould" />

==== ''Coniothyrium hellebori'' ====
''[[Coniothyrium hellebori]]'' is a fungus that causes the most common fungal disease for helleborus species known as '''Hellebore black spot''' or '''leaf spot'''. The disease is most common not only in botanical and ornamental gardens but also in hellebore nurseries as well. Visible symptoms include blackish-brown spots that often appear as rings on the leaf blade or at the margins of the leaf. The spots continue to grow larger as the disease progresses, retaining an elliptical or circular shape and turning a dark brown or black color. The spots grow until they infect the whole leaf. [[Petiole (botany)|Petiole]]s and flowers can also be infected, but the disease is primarily seen in the leaves. The symptoms become visible in the spring and worsen with time.<ref name="Leaf Spot">{{cite journal |last1=Meiners |first1=Julia |last2=Winkelmann |first2=Traud |title=Morphological and Genetic Analyses of Hellebore Leaf Spot Disease Isolates from Different Geographic Origins Show Low Variability and Reveal Molecular Evidence for Reclassification into Didymellaceae: Variability of Hellebore Leaf Spot Disease |journal=Journal of Phytopathology |date=October 2011 |volume=159 |issue=10 |pages=665–675 |doi=10.1111/j.1439-0434.2011.01823.x |doi-access=free }}</ref>

The small black fruiting bodies which carry the spores, [[pycnidia]], are formed in the dead cells of the leaf spots. The spores are mainly spread by water, wind, and wind-blown rain. The fungus has an ideal habitat to spread and grow at the final growth site for hellebore plants, and if left untreated, the spores remain for many years. The most effective method against ''C. hellebori'' is to remove and destroy the infected leaves immediately to avoid reinfection the following spring.<ref name="Leaf Spot" />

==== Helleborus net necrosis virus ====
[[Helleborus net necrosis virus]] (HeNNV), also known as Hellebore black death, is an [[RNA virus]] that can cause serious disease in Hellebore plants by stunting or deforming the plant as it grows. The disease marks the leaves of the hellebores with black streaks, often following the veins of the leaf, and creating ring patterns. It can also mark the sepals and flowers with black spots or streaks but does not always do so. When symptoms are severe, new leaves have limited growth before dying off.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Shiraishi |first1=Takuya |last2=Hoshi |first2=Hideo |last3=Eimori |first3=Koki |last4=Kawanishi |first4=Takeshi |last5=Komatsu |first5=Ken |last6=Hashimoto |first6=Masayoshi |last7=Maejima |first7=Kensaku |last8=Yamaji |first8=Yasuyuki |last9=Namba |first9=Shigetou |title=First report of Helleborus net necrosis virus isolated from hellebores with black death syndrome in Japan |journal=Journal of General Plant Pathology |date=July 2011 |volume=77 |issue=4 |pages=269–272 |doi=10.1007/s10327-011-0321-2 |bibcode=2011JGPP...77..269S |s2cid=29088363 }}</ref> The most seriously affected in the UK is ''H.&nbsp;orientalis'', but all hellebores are susceptible to the disease.<ref name="Hellebore black death">{{cite web |title=Hellebore black death|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=167|website=Royal Horticultural Society}}</ref> The most effective method of treatment against black death is to dig up and destroy all infected plants immediately. Many viruses are not transmitted through seeds, so it is possible to raise new disease resistant plants this way.<ref name="Hellebore black death"/>

==== ''Pseudomonas viridiflava'' ====
''[[Pseudomonas viridiflava]]'' is a bacterium that has been claimed to cause disease in hellebores in [[New Zealand]], among other plants. The bacterial disease manifested on hellebore plants in the form of black leaf spots, [[necrotic|necrosis]] petal, and stem lesions. The most popular ornamental and commercial crop grown in New Zealand is ''H.&nbsp;orientalis'' and its hybrids, of which 90 percent of the ''H.&nbsp;orientalis'' in the Tauranga nursery contracted the disease after several days of moderate rainfall. The disease caused discoloration in the form of black leaf spots that were circular and about 1.5–2 mm in diameter, black stem lesions, and dry, grey to brown lesions with distinct margins on the flower petals. The symptoms were different from other leaf-spotting hellebore diseases, such as those caused by the fungus ''[[Coniothyrium]]'' and the bacteria ''[[Xanthomonas]]''<ref name="New Zealand viridiflava">{{cite journal |last1=Taylor |first1=Robert K. |last2=Romberg |first2=Megan K. |last3=Alexander |first3=Brett J. R. |title=A bacterial disease of hellebore caused by Pseudomonas viridiflava in New Zealand |journal=Australasian Plant Disease Notes |date=December 2011 |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=28–29 |doi=10.1007/s13314-011-0010-1 |s2cid=7467719 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2011AuPDN...6...28T }}</ref> The case in New Zealand is the only reported case of ''P.&nbsp;viridiflava'' infecting hellebores so far, but in other plants ''P.&nbsp;viridiflava'' has been reported to also induce symptoms such as leaf rot, leaf blotch, stem [[necrosis]] and blossom blight.<ref name="New Zealand viridiflava" />

==Horticulture==
[[File:Hellebore flowers.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Hellebore species and hybrids: ''Helleborus viridis'' (top left); ''H. foetidus'' (top right) with cross-section; flowers of various specimens of ''H.'' × ''hybridus'', including doubles]]

Hellebores are widely grown in [[United States Department of Agriculture]] [[hardiness zone]]s 5a to 8b gardens for decorative purposes. They are particularly valued by gardeners for their winter and early spring flowering period; the plants are surprisingly [[frost]]-resistant and many are [[evergreen]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Susan Banks |url=http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20140502/LIFESTYLE/305020029/Nursery-owner-extols-many-virtues-hellebores |date=May 2, 2014 |website=TheDailyJournal.com |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140528190919/http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20140502/LIFESTYLE/305020029/Nursery-owner-extols-many-virtues-hellebores |archive-date=2014-05-28 |title=Nursery owner extols many virtues of hellebores |access-date=2014-05-28}}</ref> Also of value is their shade tolerance.<ref name="yates.co.nz"/> Many species of hellebore have green or greenish-purple flowers and are of limited garden value, although Corsican hellebore (''[[Helleborus argutifolius|H.&nbsp;argutifolius]]''), a robust plant with pale green, cup-shaped flowers and attractive leathery [[foliage]], is widely grown. So is the 'stinking hellebore' or setterwort (''H.&nbsp;foetidus''), which has drooping clusters of small, pale green, bell-shaped flowers, often edged with maroon, which contrasts with its dark evergreen foliage. ''H.&nbsp;foetidus'' 'Wester Flisk', with red-flushed flowers and flower stalks, is becoming popular,{{as of when|date=September 2023}} as are more recent selections with golden-yellow foliage.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The so-called Christmas rose (''H. niger''), a traditional [[cottage garden]] favourite, bears its pure white flowers (which often age to pink) in the depths of winter; large-flowered [[cultivar]]s are available, as are pink-flowered and [[double-flowered]] selections.

The most popular hellebores for garden use are ''H.&nbsp;orientalis'' and its colourful hybrids, ''H.'' × ''hybridus'' (Lenten rose). In the northern hemisphere, they flower in early spring, around the period of [[Lent]], and are often known as Lenten hellebores, oriental hellebores, or Lenten roses. They are excellent for bringing early colour to shady [[herbaceous border]]s and areas between [[deciduous]] [[shrub]]s and under trees.

== Toxicity ==

All helleborus plants are toxic, and all parts of the helleborus plant are toxic.<ref name="Cornell"/><ref name="NC State">{{cite web |title=Helleborus orientalis |url=https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/helleborus-orientalis/ |publisher=NC State University}}</ref> Hellebore poisoning is rare, but it does occur.<ref name="Cornell" />

Hellebore plants are usually left alone by animals such as deer and rabbits because the leaves of the plant produce various toxins, making them distasteful to animals. The leaves have been known to sometimes bother gardeners with sensitive skin.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cary |first1=Bill |date=24 March 2013 |title=Hellebores -- deer resistant and made for shade |language=en |publisher=Gannett Co., Inc |agency=The Journal News; White Plains, N.Y.}}</ref> It was used in the [[First Sacred War]] at the start of the sixth century BC to poison the water supply of the city of [[Cirrha|Kirrha]].

Poisonings occur through ingestion or handling. Hellebore plants should not be ingested as poisoning cases are most severe when the plants are eaten. This is especially true when hellebores are eaten in large quantities.<ref name="NC State" /> Symptoms of ingestion include: burning of the mouth and throat, salivation, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nervous symptoms, and possibly depression. Consuming large quantities of hellebore plants can be fatal.<ref name="NC State" /> Toxic [[cardiac glycoside|steroid]]s occur in the roots. High levels of [[ranunculin]] and [[protoanemonin]], especially in the leaves and sap, also contribute to symptoms after ingestion.<ref name="Cornell" />

[[Dermatitis]] may also occur from handling the hellebore plants without protection. This is typically caused by the [[ranunculin]] and [[protoanemonin]] found on the outside of the plant, including the leaves, stem, flower, and sap. The poison on the outside of the plant causes irritation and burning sensations on the skin.<ref name="Cornell" /><ref name="NC State" /> When collecting seeds from hellebore plants, it is recommended to wait for the pods to dry and shake them out into a container or onto the ground to collect. Attempts to remove the seeds by hand could potentially cause [[chemical burn]]s. Small or minimal exposure to the toxins should only cause a mild irritation to the skin, and the affliction should only last for a few minutes. If the burning persists or intensifies, it is recommended to wash the affected areas thoroughly to remove the toxins and see a doctor.<ref name="Cornell" /><ref name="NC State" />

The species historically known as "black hellebore" (''Helleborus niger'') causes [[tinnitus]], [[vertigo (medical)|vertigo]], stupor, thirst, [[anaphylaxis]], [[emesis]] (vomiting), [[cathartic|catharsis]], [[bradycardia]] (slowing of the [[heart rate]]), and finally, collapse and death from [[cardiac arrest]].<ref name="EB1911">{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Hellebore|display=Hellebore, citing Codronchius (''Comm.... de elleb.'', 1610), Castellus (''De helleb. epist.'', 1622)|volume=13|pages=235–236}}</ref> Although black hellebore contains [[protoanemonin]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vuec3nTovyUC&dq=active+poisons+helleborus&pg=PA312 Olson, Kent R., ''Poisoning & Drug Overdose'', p312] at Google Book Search, accessed 12 January 2009</ref> or [[ranunculin]],<ref name="Smolinske">[https://books.google.com/books?id=a7-f66fRfzQC&dq=active+poisons+hellebore+house+plants&pg=PA153 Smolinske, Susan C., ''Toxicity of Houseplants'', pp38, 153] at Google Book Search, accessed 12 January 2009</ref> which has an acrid taste and can cause burning of the eyes, mouth, and throat, oral ulceration, [[gastroenteritis]], and [[hematemesis]],<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vuec3nTovyUC&dq=active+poisons+helleborus&pg=PA309 Olson, Kent R, ''Poisoning & Drug Overdose'', p309] at Google Book Search, accessed 12 January 2009</ref> research in the 1970s showed that the roots of ''H.&nbsp;niger'' do not contain the cardiotoxic steroids helleborin, hellebrin, and helleborein that are responsible for the lethal reputation of "black hellebore". It seems that earlier studies may have used a commercial preparation containing a mixture of material from other species such as ''[[Helleborus viridis]]'', green hellebore.<ref name="Smolinske" />

== Uses ==
In the early days of medicine, two kinds of hellebore were recognized: '''black hellebore''', which included various species of ''Helleborus'', and '''white hellebore''', now known as ''[[Veratrum album]]'',<ref name="EB1911" /> which belongs to a different plant family, the [[Melanthiaceae]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Research/APweb/genera/melanthiaceaegen.html |title=Vascular Plant Families and Genera - List of Genera in Melanthiaceae |publisher=mobot.org | access-date=21 October 2010}}</ref> Although the latter plant contains highly toxic alkaloids such as [[veratrine]], [[teratogen]]s (which can cause the fatal birth defect of [[cyclopia]]), [[cyclopamine]], and [[jervine]], it is believed to be the "hellebore" used by [[Hippocrates]] as a purgative.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

Despite serious risks, "black hellebore" was used by the Greeks and Romans to treat paralysis, gout and psychosis.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hellebore |title=hellebore |publisher=merriam-webster.com | access-date=18 June 2014}}</ref>

==Culture==
''H. niger'' is commonly called the [[Christmas]] rose, due to an old legend that it sprouted in the snow from the tears of a young girl who had no gift to give the [[Christ Child]] in [[Bethlehem]].<ref>{{cite web |title=February 2013 Plant of the Month: Hellebore |url=https://ag.tennessee.edu/news/Pages/POM-2013-02.aspx |access-date= 2014-06-09}}</ref>

In [[Greek mythology]], [[Melampus]] of [[Pylos]] used hellebore to save the daughters of the king of [[Ancient Argos|Argos]] from a madness, induced by [[Dionysus]], that caused them to run naked through the city, crying, weeping, and screaming.<ref>{{cite journal| title=Women and Hysteria in the History of Mental Health| year=2012| pmc=3480686| last1=Tasca| first1=C.| last2=Rapetti| first2=M.| last3=Carta| first3=M. G.| last4=Fadda| first4=B.| journal=Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health | volume=8| pages=110–119| doi=10.2174/1745017901208010110| pmid=23115576}}</ref>

During the [[First Sacred War|Siege of Kirrha]] in 585 BC, hellebore was reportedly used by the Greek besiegers to poison the city's water supply. The defenders were subsequently so weakened by diarrhea that they were unable to defend the city from assault.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.columbiatribune.com/arts_life/pulse/hellebore-make-for-an-enchanting-addiction/article_b788b884-e2ec-11e3-8385-10604b9f7e7c.html| title=Hellebore make for an enchanting addiction|access-date= 2014-06-18}}</ref>

In a fit of madness induced by Hera, [[Heracles]] killed his children. His madness was cured using hellebore.<ref>{{cite web |title=Heracles ( Hercules ) |url=https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/heroes/heracles/ |website=Greek Gods and Goddesses}}</ref>

== Gallery ==

=== Species ===
<gallery>
Helleborus bocconei 2.jpg|''[[Helleborus bocconei]]''
Helleborus dumetorum (Hecken-Nieswurz) IMG 34924.JPG|''[[Helleborus dumetorum|H. dumetorum]]'' (Hecken-Nieswurz)
Helleborus lividus ssp. corsicus (Jardin des Plantes de Paris).jpg|''[[Helleborus lividus]]'' ssp. ''corsicus'' (''[[Jardin des Plantes de Paris]]'')
Helleborus foetidus 004.JPG|''[[Helleborus foetidus|H. foetidus]]''
Helleborus odorus (Ranunculaceae) plant.jpg|''[[Helleborus odorus|H. odorus]]''
Helleborus purpurascens.jpg|''[[Helleborus purpurascens|H. purpurascens]]''
Helleborus argutifolius - Innsbruck Botanical Garden.jpg|''[[Helleborus argutifolius]]'' - [[Innsbruck Botanical Garden]]
Helleborus_(three_stages).jpg|''[[Helleborus niger|H. niger]]'' with fruits and flowers in two different stages
</gallery>

=== Hybrids ===
<gallery>
Double hellebore, dark red.JPG|Double hellebore, dark red
Double white and pink picotee hellebore.JPG|Double white and pink picotee hellebore
Double pink hellebore with dark blotching.JPG|Double pink hellebore with dark blotching
Double white hellebore with pink spotting.JPG|Double white hellebore with pink spotting
Double pink hellebore with darker pink veining.JPG|Double pink hellebore with darker pink veining
Double white hellebore hybrid 'Betty Ranicar'.JPG|Double white hellebore hybrid 'Betty Ranicar'
Yellow double hellebore.JPG|Yellow double hellebore
"Blue-black" double hellebore.JPG|"Blue-black" double hellebore
Double pink hellebore with dark venation.JPG|Double pink hellebore with dark venation
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Christmas flowers]]
* ''[[Veratrum]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Rice, Graham & Elizabeth Strangman (1993). ''The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hellebores''. David & Charles/Timber Press. {{ISBN|0-7153-9973-X}}
* Mathew, Brian (1989). ''Hellebores''. Alpine Garden Society. {{ISBN|0-900048-50-6}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Helleborus}}
*{{Wikispecies-inline|Helleborus}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081211094456/http://phengels.club.fr/CatalogueHelleborus.html A French hellebore enthusiast's non-commercial site]
* [http://www.hazlescrossfarmnursery.co.uk The National Collection of Hellebore species and hybrids, Hazles Cross Farm Nursery (Staffordshire, UK) contains all known species plus hundreds of garden hybrids]
*[http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Helleborus&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK=species Flora Europaea: ''Helleborus'']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060615054459/http://www.hellebores.org/ Hellebores.org: A comprehensive online resource on the genus ''Helleborus''] 
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100422185440/http://www.broadviewgardens.co.uk/national-collection-of-hellebores.aspx National collection of Hellebores]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050514233205/http://www.rhs.org.uk/learning/research/Sciencereport/Hellebore.pdf RHS plant pathology report on 'Hellebore Black Death' disease (pdf)]
* [https://exquisite-gardens.com/hellebores-the-great-christmas-rose/ Growing Guide]

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q147289|from2=Q18667571}}

[[Category:Helleborus| ]]
[[Category:Christmas plants]]
[[Category:Garden plants]]
[[Category:Ranunculaceae genera]]