Leaf
Drew Avery, Wikimedia · CC BY 2.0
Stinking hellebore
Helleborus foetidus L.
Also known as: Bear's foot
Family: Ranunculaceae
40 to 80 cm tall
Woodland, banks, dry gardens, chalky soils
Flowering: January – April
Part shade
Shade
Hardy to -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Unlike the Christmas rose, its stems remain leafy and give off an unpleasant smell when crushed. The Christmas rose has large solitary white flowers opening at ground level in midwinter, whereas stinking hellebore bears many small pale green bells edged with purple and gives off an unpleasant smell when crushed.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, digitate, dark green, giving off an unpleasant smell when crushed
🌸 Flowers
Pale green bells edged with purple, in drooping racemes
🍎 Fruits
Clustered follicles
🪵 Bark
Upright stems woody at the base, leafy along their whole length
🗺️ Distribution
Western and southern Europe; found in light chalky woodland in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Early green flowers rich in nectar, important for the first bees and bumblebees emerging from hibernation.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Shady beds, woodland; decorative evergreen foliage and early winter flowering, to be kept out of the reach of children.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Toxic in all its parts (cardiotonic glycosides); eating it may cause serious digestive and cardiac disorders.
⚠️ Look-alike species
Stinking hellebore
Helleborus foetidus
Christmas rose
Helleborus niger
The Christmas rose has large solitary white flowers opening at ground level in midwinter, whereas stinking hellebore bears many small pale green bells edged with purple and gives off an unpleasant smell when crushed.
🌿 Other Ranunculaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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