Plant guide

Christmas rose.

Helleborus niger

Pronounced hel-eh-BOR-us NY-jer

Also known as Black hellebore, Christmas Rose, Christmas-rose

The Christmas rose is a lovely perennial that brings winter color to your garden. It thrives in cool, shaded spots and is quite hardy once established. You will love seeing its delicate blooms emerge when everything else is still sleeping.

At a glance

Care level: Moderate
Plant type: Perennial
Light: Partial shade to full shade
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: 12 to 18 inches
Growth rate: Slow

Care

Plant these in well draining soil and keep them protected from harsh afternoon sun. Watch for drooping leaves, which often signal that the plant needs more moisture or is suffering from heat stress. Keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy to prevent root rot.

Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist but avoid letting the roots sit in water.
Feeding: Apply a balanced organic fertilizer in early spring as new growth appears.
Pruning: Trim back old or damaged foliage in late winter to make room for new blooms.
Repotting: These plants prefer to stay in one spot, so only repot when they become severely root bound.
Soil: Rich, moist, well draining soil
Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline

Safety

Pets: This plant is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.

How to identify it

Leathery, dark green evergreen leaves
Large, white, cup shaped flowers
Yellow stamens in flower center
Blooms in late winter or spring

Science

Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Helleborus
Order: Ranunculales
Class: Magnoliopsida

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Also in

Is your christmas rose looking unwell?

This page is a general guide. Pocket Botanist diagnoses problems from a photo of your actual plant, works out watering for your light and conditions, and reminds you when care is due.

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This guide was generated with AI and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.