Helleborus hybridus Apricot Spotted

Helleborus x hybridus Apricot Spotted flowers from February to mid-April with large, light apricot flowers 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3in) in diameter, spotted with red and finely edged with a slightly faded red. This robust and hardy perennial can be grown in borders, under shrubs, in mixed borders and in pots. It is easy to grow, even in heavy and poorly drained soil, and thrives in shade or non-scorching sun, bringing softness and light.

Native to central and eastern Caucasus, Helleborus orientalis subsp. guttatus, sometimes called Lenten Rose, is a perennial plant of the ranunculaceae family, distinguished by the strong red to brown markings on its petals. It is a hardy plant that can withstand temperatures as low as -15°C (5°F), naturally growing in forests, thickets, and clearings up to 2,000 m (2,187 yards) altitude. The 'Apricot' variety forms a compact and leafy clump 40 cm (16in) in all directions composed of palmate, slightly toothed, dark green and shiny, evergreen basal leaves 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16in) long, composed of 7 to 9 leaflets. They only live for 8 months and are regularly replaced by new leaves.

Between February and April, a stem of single, cup-shaped, nodding flowers 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3in) in diameter forms. They are inclined downwards allowing water to slide off like an umbrella, to protect the heart of the flower from rotting. Hellebore is a bushy plant that does not like to be moved once established, with young plants taking some time to flower. The seeds are sown by ants.

Use Hellebores as elements of an ancient tapestry, mixing them with brightly coloured woodland plants. They are highlighted when planted near Pieris, small-sized rhododendrons, under conifers (especially on wind-exposed sites), and surrounded by primroses, wood anemones, corydalis, dicentra, cardamine, or spring-flowering bulbs and snowdrops. You can also accompany them with ferns and shade-loving irises to create a beautiful contrast a little later in the season. They can be planted in a group near the entrance of the house, in a shaded area, to fully enjoy their early flowers. They are suitable as cut flowers and in beds, borders, or containers... Over time, Hellebore flowers do not fade like the majority of other flowers, they dry up.

Each seed sown Hellebore has a unique flower colour, so slight colour variations may exist between two plants, which is normal and inevitable. However, if the difference is too significant and distorts the desired effect, we will refund or replace the affected plant.