Helleborus HGC® Ice N' Roses® Dark Picotee, an evergreen, is a delight in the garden that guarantees year-round beauty. This perennial plant starts blooming profusely in December and continues for weeks, adorning the garden with creamy, butter-hued blooms that feature a rich wine picotee. Even in their early stages, these flowers stand tall on sturdy stems, offering a captivating contrast against the glossy, dark green foliage. The long-lasting blooms supply early pollinators with an important nectar source or make charming winter bouquets.
As a Helleborus x glandorfensis variety, also known as Lenten rose or hellebore, Ice N' Roses Dark Picotee is a moderately vigorous plant that forms an upright mound. Its leathery, palmate leaves create a stunning visual when planted in groups or massed in beds, borders, and patio pots. It thrives under high-branched deciduous trees or large shrubs, where it is protected from harsh winter winds. Hellebore not only serves as an attractive ground cover but also naturalizes gracefully, spreading slowly via its rhizomatous roots without becoming invasive. It pairs beautifully with companion plants like carex, thuja, heuchera, muscari, and narcissus.
Hellebore grows easily, tolerates cold, and requires little maintenance. It thrives in dappled shade spots with organically rich, moist, well-drained soil with a neutral to alkaline pH. However, it's adaptable to most soils, including clay, chalk, and loam, and can handle a variety of growing conditions. Once established, hellebore tolerates drought and resists deer, rabbits, and salt; however, it won't tolerate waterlogged soils.
