Helleborus foetidus
Plant of the month: December
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Helleborus foetidus (or ‘stinking hellebore’) is an erect perennial with hairless, leafy, biennial stems and dark green leaves, which when bruised give off an unpleasant smell. But this is not a reason to ignore our native hellebore; from midwinter to mid-spring it bears many-flowered cymes of pendent, bell-shaped yellow-green flowers, which are usually purple margined.
It will succeed in any good garden soil, preferring a moist, well-drained rich loam in a sheltered position. It associates well with early daffodils and snowdrops to make a display to gladden any winter-weary heart.