Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Lenten Rose, Winter Rose

Group/Class:  Gold Collection Series

Description:

Large, outfacing buttercup-type blooms are creamy white with a green tinge, maturing to pink; one of the first flowers to come up in cool weather and what a beautiful harbinger they are; great in woodland gardens and on shaded slopes

Ornamental Features

Gold Collection Shooting Star Hellebore features showy nodding white cup-shaped flowers with yellow eyes and light green streaks at the ends of the stems from late winter to early spring. Its glossy oval compound leaves remain dark green in color with distinctive light green veins throughout the year. The dark red stems can be quite attractive.

Landscape Attributes

Gold Collection Shooting Star Hellebore is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Gold Collection Shooting Star Hellebore is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Gold Collection Shooting Star Hellebore will grow to be about 14 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.