19 Showstopping Hellebore Varieties to Grow for Winter Blooms

If you want to add breathtaking beauty to the winter garden, there is no finer flower than the humble hellebore. Sometimes called Lenten roses, these pretty plants do their blooming to coincide with that time of year surrounding Lent. 

In late winter, these inconspicuous evergreens spring into action. Most of the year, they are small mounds of leathery, deep green foliage that prefer to dwell in shaded areas of the garden. They’re easy to overlook but low-maintenance, with few pests or diseases to worry about.

‘HGC Merlin’

	botanical name Helleborus x ballardiae ‘HGC Merlin’
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 5-8

The subtle beauty of ‘HGC Merlin’ is one you won’t soon forget. Hellebores have wonderful flowers that look similar to anemones. This variety has saucer-shaped blooms that open in late winter in shades of cream and pink.

As they age, the petals deepen in color to a gorgeous dusky rose. The effect is one of all the shades existing simultaneously. The evergreen foliage is deep green with lighter veining, which provides a stunning backdrop for the blend of pink and cream blooms.

‘Tropical Sunset’

	botanical name Helleborus x hybridus ‘Tropical Sunset’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

There are both a Wedding Party and a Honeymoon Series of hellebores, and ‘Tropical Sunset’ is a member of the latter. This is a slightly later bloomer, showing up in early spring. The honeymoon series has made a name for its colorful, single-flowered form. 

‘Tropical Sunset’ has creamy, dreamy yellow flowers with fine streaks of burgundy running in its veins. It’s brighter than most. These blooms really pop against their foliage, which is also brighter than usual in this cultivar. This one will light up the space. 

‘Honeyhill Joy’

	botanical name Helleborus x nigercors ‘Honeyhill Joy’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

‘Honeyhill Joy’ is an extra floriferous variety with a cheerful appearance. The flowers are cream-colored with a green heart that extends through the center of each petal. In the center is a burst of yellow stamens.

These blooms open out almost flat and face outward from the plant, making the already abundant appearance even more so. It blooms for up to two full months, beginning in late winter. This variety makes a wonderful statement in the shade garden. 

‘Rome in Red’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘Rome in Red’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

‘Red in Rome’ is another member of the Honeymoon Series. Its single-form flowers are large, measuring three to four inches in diameter. The foliage is glossy and medium green with toothed edges.

I’m partial to the darker shades, and this one falls into that category. The blooms are deep wine-red with a cream-colored heart. A sprinkle of pale stamens decorates the center. Hellebores provide a great nectar source for early pollinators. 

‘Rio Carnival’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘Rio Carnival’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

You can probably guess by the name at this point that this is a Honeymoon Series cultivar. It’s an early spring bloomer with dark green leaves that are only lightly toothed. 

This series contains some more brightly-colored varieties, and with a name like ‘Rio Carnival’ you know this one has to be flamboyant. The flowers are pale yellow, and large splotches of burgundy decorate the center of the petals. A golden crown of stamens lies at the heart.

‘Shotgun Wedding’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘Shotgun Wedding’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

This is our first member of the Wedding Party® Series, which is double-flowered and comes in a wide array of colors. ‘Shotgun Wedding’ has large blooms with two to three layers of petals and bright green, toothed leaves.

The flowers are white with deep red speckling. It is heaviest toward the center. It has a cream-colored heart and a burst of sunny yellow stamens.

‘Mother of the Bride’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘Mother of the Bride’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

This lovely lady certainly lives up to her name. Another member of the Wedding Party® Series, this one has dark green, toothed leaves with deep red veining that is most prominent from the underside. It’s an early to mid-spring bloomer. 

The flowers are large and heavily petaled. The petals, rather than rounded at the ends like most, come to graceful points. They are cream to apricot-colored with a delicate pink picotee edge. 

‘Wedding Crasher’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘Wedding Crasher’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

The bride may not welcome wedding crashers, but she’s guaranteed to appreciate the beauty of this one. Another cultivar in the Wedding Party® Series, ‘Wedding Crasher’ is stunning. The large blooms show up splendidly against the bright green foliage. 

‘Wedding Crasher’ has double petal form in the softest blush. A spray of dark pink speckles covers the petals. When they unfurl, in the center is a light sprinkle of pale yellow stamens. 

‘Dark and Handsome’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘Dark and Handsome’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

This distinguished gentleman is brooding and mysterious. It’s a perfect fit for the goth gardener who loves dark and lovely plants. Another a Wedding Party Series variety, this winter hellebore has green foliage with a hint of red in the newer leaves. 

The blooms are double-petaled, with the outer ring having rounded ends and the inner circle slightly pointed. It’s a dynamic flower that is nearly black. The golden stamens stand out wonderfully against the deep shade.

‘Wedding Bells’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘Wedding Bells’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

This Wedding Party® Series is one gorgeous specimen after another. These winter hellebore varieties are heavy bloomers, beginning in early spring, just in time for wedding season! The glossy, evergreen foliage is almost obscured when this one is in bloom. 

‘Wedding Bells’ has the purest, snowy white, ruffled petals. They cluster around a pale green heart flecked with pale yellow pollen. They look like twirling skirts of layered tulle. 

‘New York Night’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘New York Night’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

If a honeymoon in the city sounds good to you, you’ll love ‘New York Night.’ It’s as dark and lovely a variety as I’ve ever seen. Even the foliage is the deepest, darkest green, lobed, and finely toothed. 

For the goth gardener, there is no better cultivar. The flowers are single petal form and nearly black with just a hint of cream at the heart. The pale stamens pepper the center like stars against a night sky.

‘French Kiss’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘French Kiss’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Oh, la, la! This member of the Honeymoon® Series will leave you breathless! ‘French Kiss’ is a heavy bloomer in early spring and very showy. The toothed leaves are bright green, and the stems have a pink tint.

The single-petal blooms are white with a pale green heart. Outside of the heart is a raspberry blotch, and this shade lightly streaks the white and barely touches the margins. The underside of the petals has a wash of raspberry over cream. The center holds a large starburst of stamens.

‘True Love’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘True Love’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

‘True Love’ belongs to the Wedding Party® Series, blooming in early spring and doing it splendidly. This highly floriferous winter hellebore variety is all elegance and beauty. The leaves are medium to dark green and lightly toothed at the edges. The stems have a faint pink tint. 

Known for being double bloomers, the Wedding Party® Series is especially fancy and showy, and this is exactly that. The flowers are simply stunning in deep, and dusky rose with a maroon edge that looks nearly black. The petals ruffle daintily around a glowing yellow heart and stamens. 

‘Maid of Honor’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘Maid of Honor’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

What is a wedding party without the ‘Maid of Honor?’ Well, usually, much less organized! This maid is a shrubby mass of dark green foliage that perfectly complements her flowers.

The blooms are double, and similar to ‘HGC Merlin,’ they have a color-shifting habit. Or rather, they bloom in different intensities of color. The foundation is pink or cream, and there are varying amounts of orchid pink and dusky rose speckled or glazed over the top. 

‘First Dance’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘First Dance’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 5-9

We’ve made it to the reception just in time for the ‘First Dance.’ This one is all sweetness and joy. It’s brighter than most varieties, so if you want to add some sunshine to your winter garden, this is an ideal hellebore for you.

The wide, double-petaled blooms open out farther than most, and looking down on them from the base, they look like layers of a twirling dress. The petals are creamy yellow with a raspberry picotee edge and faint veining as well. It has a green heart and a light sprinkle of stamens.

‘Royal Heritage’

	botanical name Helleborus orientalis ‘Royal Heritage’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Moving away from weddings and honeymoons, ‘Royal Heritage’ is a wonderful collection of hybrid winter hellebore varieties with single-petal form flowers and lightly ruffled edges. The blooms are a mixture of shades, including yellow, purple, green, and pink, with different patterns and combinations. They are gorgeous together and one of the most decorative varieties.

I would note that hellebores are toxic to animals and humans. Plant them out of the path of children and curious pets. This characteristic deters rabbits and deer, so it’s not all bad; just don’t use them to decorate any food products. 

‘Candy Love’

	botanical name Helleborus x ballardiae ‘Candy Love’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 5-9

‘Candy Love’ is a part of the Winter Magic™ Series, cultivars of which have a color-changing characteristic. This one has large, single-petal blooms and tons of them. The flowers bloom on tall red stems above bright green, toothed foliage. 

‘Flower Girl’

	botanical name Helleborus ‘Flower Girl’
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

I have to include one last member of the Wedding Party® Series because who doesn’t love an adorable ‘Flower Girl?’ This one certainly is as sweet as its name, and it’s a big bloomer. 

‘Flower Girl’ is a variety that can have different color combinations on flowers of the same plant. Each is lovelier than the next. The blooms are cream-colored with a mist of pink ranging from blush to raspberry. They’re beautifully ruffled around a golden center.

‘Double Ellen Pink’

	botanical name Helleborus x hybridus ‘Double Ellen Pink’
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Last but not least, the ‘Double Ellen Pink’ variety is the embodiment of all that is wonderful about winter hellebores. It has plenty of medium green, toothed foliage and rosy-tinged stems. It’s a big bloomer that starts early, near the end of winter.