Ice N' Roses Red Hellebore

Helleborus × hybridus 'Ice N' Roses Red'

Ranunculaceae

• Sun: Part shade to full shade (tolerates some sun)
• Mature Size: 12–15" tall x 12–15" wide
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate once established; avoid soils that dry out or stay soggy
• Habit: Evergreen, clumping, low-maintenance perennial
• Flower Color / Bloom Time: Ruby-red, outward-facing flowers with creamy stamens; late winter through mid-spring
• Wildlife Benefits: Early pollen source for bees at a time of year when little else is blooming 

Ice N' Roses Red is a hybrid hellebore is bred for a compact habit, heavy bloom, and outward-or upward-facing flowers rather than the typically nodding blooms of older hellebore types. It grows best in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil in partial shade, sheltered from harsh winter winds; it tolerates heat, cold, and infertile soils reasonably well once established.

Rounded, single, ruby-red blooms with a frilly crown of creamy-yellow stamens open from dark purple buds and face outward rather than nodding, making them easy to appreciate in the winter garden; they rise on sturdy stems above leathery, deeply lobed, evergreen foliage that provides year-round structure.

As one of the earliest bloomers in the shade garden, hellebore flowers offer a valuable pollen source for bees on mild late-winter days. Important customer safety note: all parts of the plant — leaves, stems, and roots — are toxic if ingested and can cause skin irritation on contact, so gloves are recommended when handling or dividing, and it should be sited thoughtfully in gardens with young children or pets prone to chewing plants.

Excellent for shaded borders, woodland gardens, and under trees or large shrubs, where its evergreen foliage and very early bloom provide much-needed late-winter color.