Here's an early spring flower that the Phactor doesn't have, the stinking hellebore (also dungwort or bear's claw hellebore because of the highly divided leaf)(Helleborus foetidus). What a charmer! But maybe our climate is a bit too severe for this species. First try at this species resulted in winter kill, and it was a tough winter, but supposedly this is hardy in zone 5, just maybe not in our nasty zone 5 with its radical temperature swings often without the benefit of snow cover. In spite of its various common names, it doesn't actually seem to smell bad, and a cluster of plants on a hillside, as shown here, can make quite an early display even though the flowers are not as large as other hellebores and are mostly green. Any feedback from other zone 4-5 gardeners?
Earth Day: Pogo and our responsibility
2 weeks ago in Doc Madhattan
1 comment:
We're 5b, and still have lost H. foetidus. H. orientalis and H. niger varieties are somewhat susceptible, but generally fare well and even re-seed with some success. But the stinking hellebore looked great for about three years and then froze out here, too. Haven't tried it for a number of years, and I'd like to think my gardening skills are better now, but I somehow doubt that skill had much to do with it.
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