CHRISTMAS ROSES – THE QUEEN OF WINTER FLOWERERS
From November onwards, the first Christmas Rose varieties unfold their brilliant white flowers in the garden. Christmas Roses are one of the few plants that delight us with their flowers all winter long. Weather conditions allowing, they are also welcome honey plants for wild bees. Withstanding severe cold and snow, they decorate balconies and terraces as pot plants in winter. There, place them in prominent spots that summer flowers would normally brighten up.
No wonder the Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger) is surrounded by more myths and legends than any other plant. Their winter blooms have fuelled and fascinated the imagination going back centuries. In fact, it is one of the oldest cultivated plants we know. Christmas Roses occur naturally in the Eastern Limestone Alps of Europe (Austria, Slovenia and Italy). In Germany, the plant, which is strongly protected in its natural habitats, is native to Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria. Ancient tales mentioned it already, and it was sacred to the Germanic peoples. In the Middle Ages, people even ascribed all sorts of curative properties and magical powers to the plant.
- hardy, low-maintenance, evergreen perennial
- brilliant white blooms
- varieties with different flowering seasons
- early varieties, such as Diva and Jasper, flower from November onwards
- thrives in garden sites sheltered from the midday sun
- ideal for plantings in planters for balconies and terraces
