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Helleborus abruzzicus
Helleborus abruzzicus refers to a population of Italian plants that have only
recently been described. These are very exciting plants with highly divided
leaves and leaflets. Leaves may be divided 100 or 200 times forming a lacy
mound of foliage in mature plants. It is essential to include these plants in
gardens and hybridization programs.
They occur in substantial populations in central Italy northeast of Rome (Lazio,
Abruzzi, Umbria) at elevated sites above 1000 meters. A recent article by
Mclewin, Mathew, and Thomsen has proposed that these plants may deserve
consideration as a new species. These plants are winter dormant and later
blooming than Helleborus bocconei or Helleborus liguricus and offer great
potential for continental climates.
Whatever the outcome, these plants represent an exciting contribution to
horticulture. Their hardiness and unique form, combined with the possibility
that they are more vigorous and robust than other plants of similar
morphology, gives all those interested in hellebores a reason to pay them
close attention.
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Information on this page is mostly a summary of parts of "Helleborus
bocconei and the Hellebores of Italy" (Mclewin, Mathew, and Thomsen).
See H. bocconei
Above: A rare example of doubling in
Helleborus abruzzicus and selected
examples in cultivation.
Left (top row): More selected examples of
H. abruzzicus from central Italy. Photos
taken in the garden in mid April by Matthias
Thomsen.
Left (bottom two rows): Wild Helleborus
abruzzicus.
