Helleborus orientalis

One of the earliest flowers, it has been blossoming for at least ten days in the warmer part of the garden. I think it is beautiful, and  it is absolutely not difficult to keep it.

It originally grows in Northern Greece, Northern and North-Eastern Turkey as well as in the Caucasus. Probably in the mountains, as it is extremely cold-tolerant (Z4-9). In places with mild winters it is evergreen. At us it also maintains its leaves, but in the spring, when the new leaves come, the old ones dry out badly. Then I usually cut them.

When fully mature, it is 30-40 cms high. Overt the years it forms a large bush. In smaller places it can be used as a ground cover. If you do not cut it for dried flowers as I usually do, then it abundantly reproduces from seed. It is a semi-shade or shade flower which likes to be watered, but it also lives in a dry place. In Hungary you can buy it in Hegede and Mocsáry nurseries. You can find further interesting information and pictures on it at the site of the Missouri Botanical Garden.