Winter Roses, or
Botanically known as hellebores but more commonly known as the winter rose, Christmas rose and lenten rose, these beautiful and delicate plants are a welcome addition to any garden. There are around 20 different species to choose from and it comes in a handsome array of colours, from opalescent white to deep burgundy.
Lenten rose or Christmas rose (Helleborus) is a perennial flower that blooms in winter. Leathery, dark green leaves stand umbrella-like above winter mulch or snow.
They are native to western and southern Europe, including the Mediterranean and individual plants can live for up to 40 years.
Christmas rose, (Helleborus niger), also called winter rose or black hellebore, small poisonous perennial herb of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), known for its tendency to bloom from late autumn to early spring, often in the snow.
Name: Helleborus sp. commonly known as winter rose or Hellebore.
Fire and Ice Roses are hybrid roses, being white on the outside and red on the inside. They were first grown especially for florists, instead of gardeners, as most often, but are now frequently used by both. Because of its two contrasting colors, Fire and Ice Roses have two different meanings matching the colors.
Hellebores contain three active ingredients: glycosides, which can cause bradycardia (slowing of the heart); saponin, acting on the nervous system causing narcosis; and helleborine, a purgative found in the roots of the plant.
Literally translated, hellebore means something like 'lethal food'. This name is not random as hellebores are actually poisonous. You should therefore wash your hands after touching these plants - or even better, wear gloves when handling them.
Christmas bush
Several different native plants are known as the Christmas bush. The SA version is sweet bursaria, (Bursaria spinosa), an upright, prickly shrub that is covered in white flowers in summer.
The winter rose is a pale blue flower the color of frost.
In the winter they are cold and frost tolerant. Their beautiful flowers are perfect for picking and displaying in a vase in the winter and spring months. (Though they do tend to droop their heads and drop their stamens which may drive you a little mad!)
Sunrise Sunset. Performing beautifully in just about every climate, 'Sunrise Sunset' rose bears fuchsia-pink flowers that fade to apricot at the center. It blooms nonstop all season long and makes an excellent groundcover for a sunny garden bed.
Celebrated in songs and stories, Helleborus niger, commonly called Christmas Rose, is a winter-blooming evergreen perennial with large, bowl-shaped, glistening white flowers, 3 in. across (8 cm), adorned with crowns of showy golden-yellow stamens. Unlike most hellebores, the flowers face outward attracting interest.
The many different common names for Helleborus, such as Christmas Rose, Snow Rose, Lenten Rose or Oracle Flower, indicate that the genus has a long mythological tradition. The names are based either on scientific phenomena (German "Nieswurz" [sneezewort]) or several decades of tradition (Oracle Flower, Christmas Rose).
Helleborus ×hybridus is a group of evergreen, late-winter or early-spring flowering perennials in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) with the common names of hellebore, oriental hellebores, or Lenten rose (the name Christmas rose refers to H. niger).
A: Despite this plant's malodorous name, don't turn up your nose: Helleborus foetidus provides some of winter gardening's greatest pleasures. Yes, if you crush its leaves or tear the stems, they release a (moderately) rank, grassy smell, but I've never caught a whiff of anything even faintly foul when weeding around H.
Although it is attractive, it is highly toxic to dogs and other animals. When ingested, life-threatening poisoning is rare, but if ingested in large amounts toxicity that warrants a veterinarian visit can occur. All of the plants in the genus come from the family known as Ranunculaceae.
Hellebore (Helleborus spp.), a member of the buttercup family, is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Thankfully, its foul taste often prevents them from eating it in large quantities.
Since hellebore plants prefer shade, they can be prone to fungal diseases which frequently happen in damp, shady locations with limited air circulation. Two of the most common fungal diseases of hellebore are leaf spot and downy mildew. Downy mildew is a fungal disease that infects a wide array of plants.
Hellebore black death is a serious disease of hellebores, probably caused by the virus Helleborus net necrosis virus (HeNNV), where plants become stunted, deformed and marked by black streaks and netting patterns.
Are Hellebore Poisonous to Dogs. Dogs and puppies should not consume hellebore because it is moderately toxic if ingested in large quantities. Symptoms of poisoning include diarrhea, difficulty breathing, excessive drooling and thirst, lethargy, vomiting, and weakness.
Rainbow Roses are also known as Happy Roses or Kaleidoscope Roses. These blooms may look like they were plucked out of a story book, but trust us when we say they're 100% real. These unique blooms boast vibrant and brightly coloured petals, making them the life of the party or centre of attention anywhere you put them.
Since blue roses do not exist in nature, as roses lack the specific gene that has the ability to produce a "true blue" color, blue roses are traditionally created by dyeing white roses.
While black roses do not truly exist in mother nature, their symbolism very much does in culture and everyday life. Many times, black roses are actually exquisite tones of deep red, maroon or purple blooms. To achieve a darker black hue, florists will typically dye, spray, dip or even burn their flowers.