Helleborus argutifolius flowers-Corsican hellebore macro

There are not many flowers peaking out from under the snow in winter. Besides snowdrops, Corsican hellebore - Helleborus argutifolius is one of those few flowers pushing through the snow.

Corsican hellebore is an evergreen perennial blooming in late winter and early spring. Its cup shaped flowers have pale green color.
Its leaves are light green having three leaflets with deeply toothed margins.

Though evergreen, the foliage of this plant may die back in mid-winter with cold and long winters like we are having this year in East Europe. Even without foliage, the flower stems will rise up starting sometime between January or February, depending on the weather.
This year it seams, winter want to bury us alive in snow in Romania, so these lovely flowers will have to wait.
Corsican hellebore is known to be hardy to about -23°C, I hope they will survive.

At the time I took these photos, in mid May last year, their flowering period was almost over.
Helleborus argutifolius grows best in full sun to light shade, it prefers a well drained or sandy soil but will tolerate clay if drainage is adequate. It is a lovely addition to rock gardens.

Corsican hellebore is the largest of the species hellebores. In our parts the plant reaches 50-60cm,as seen in the next picture, but it is much taller in its native regions.


Take care when handing this plant, all its parts are poisonous and in contact with the skin it can produce a severe allergic reaction.