• Image of Helleborus foetidus 'Red Silver'||
  • Image of Helleborus foetidus 'Red Silver'|Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC|JLBG

    Photo by JLBG taken at Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC

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Helleborus foetidus 'Red Silver'

Red Silver Bear Claw Hellebore

This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.

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Item #: 7707

Zones: 5a to 9b

Dormancy: Evergreen

Height: 30" tall

Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade

Origin: Western Europe

Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)


This seed strain of Helleborus foetidus is the hottest Helleborus foetidus introduction in years. Helleborus 'Red Silver' popped up in the garden of Ernie and Marietta O'Byrne, probably as a cross of Helleborus 'Sopron' and Helleborus 'Wester Flisk'. For us, Helleborus 'Red Silver' holds its pewter leaf color well through the summer, although it will always be brightest in spring. In addition to the attractive deer-resistant foliage, the 30" tall flower spikes of Helleborus foetidus 'Red Silver' are highlighted by red petioles and the typical green flowers are usually accented by a red ring around the rim. Keep in mind this is a seed strain and there is some variability in the offspring.

Maintenance:

Helleborus foetidus 'Red Silver' is a very low maintenance perennial. Once the flower stalk has finished, it should be removed. If you want your plant to produce seedlings, then wait until the seed drop (May in NC). If you have enough seedlings already, remove the old flower stalk prior to seed drop.

Helleborus foetidus is by nature a short lived plant, but after flowering, plants will often re-sprout from the base. Each stem will only flower one time, so we prefer to let some seed drop each year, so we'll always have a flower show produced by these new seedlings. Once old foliage stalks have reached the end of their life expectancy (3-5 years), they can be cut to the ground.

Growing Conditions:

Good drainage is essential for Helleborus foetidus. While it will tolerate some shade, bear claw hellebore is far better in 2-6 hours of sun. In these conditions, the foliage will be more more dense and the flowers stalks will be far more prolific.

Natural Impact:

Honeybees are the main pollinator of Helleborus foetidus.