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Helleborus dumetorum, Waldstein & Kitaibel (1809)
Helleborus dumetorum is a wonderful example of how gardenworthy the
entire genus is. It is a species that is often described as a 'charming' or
'demure' plant of woodland. While such descriptions are partly accurate from a
human perspective, the toughness, resilience, and overall versatility of the
plant are often understated. This, after all, is a hellebore. It can grow in
woodland or on the woodland edge or simply out in the open. Almost any
position seems to suit it, but of course a nice well-drained and nutritious soil
that doesn't dry out for very long won't hurt. Like most hellebores, an open
position with plenty of light will help stimulate strong, stout, and floriferous
development.
Its geographical distribution includes eastern Slovenia, western Hungary,
southwest Austria, northern Croatia, and probably parts of Romania. It
sometimes forms dense colonies and is often accompanied by thick
underbrush in summer. The leaves show the typical variation of most
acaulescent hellebores and are divided into leaflets of varying thickness.
Peduncles can be quite long and thin and the plant sometimes has an 'airy'
appearance like that of Helleborus atrorubens when in flower. However, the
bracts are quite large and leaf-like. This can provide the opposite effect as the
flowers mature and new leaves develop. H. dumetorum is among the
smallest of all hellebores, and its pale whiteish green, rather inconspicuous,
flowers add to its demure character. Yet, as a garden plant it has tremendous
value and potential, and even wild plants make nice dense clumps that overall
make quite a. Many plants grown in gardens are less conspicuous.
Given provenance, H. dumetorum is mostly an unmistakable plant (and
morphologically mostly so). In this sense, it represents a relatively clean and
useful division in the genus. There are exceptions: In some areas it seems to
have 'influenced' colonies of plants and seems to play a role in intermediate
forms within and near its geographical distribution. Examples include
intermediates in colonies of H. odorus, H. atrorubens, and H. croaticus. There
are also some colonies where plants seem large and with large leaves but
with 'typical' dumetorum flowers.
Below are some photos of H. dumetorum in Croatia.
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Copyright hellebores.org
- Perennial, mostly glabrous; 6-11" in flower
- Leaves basal, serrate, pedate with 9-12 segments
- Flowers green, 1-nearly 2" in diameter
- Austria, Hungary, Romania, Croatia
- Woodland, thickets
Helleborus dumetorum is a wonderful example of how gardenworthy the
entire genus is. It is a species that is often described as a 'charming' or
'demure' plant of woodland. While such descriptions are partly accurate from a
human perspective, the toughness, resilience, and overall versatility of the
plant are often understated. This, after all, is a hellebore. It can grow in
woodland or on the woodland edge or simply out in the open. Almost any
position seems to suit it, but of course a nice well-drained and nutritious soil
that doesn't dry out for very long won't hurt. Like most hellebores, an open
position with plenty of light will help stimulate strong, stout, and floriferous
development.
Its geographical distribution includes eastern Slovenia, western Hungary,
southwest Austria, northern Croatia, and probably parts of Romania. It
sometimes forms dense colonies and is often accompanied by thick
underbrush in summer. The leaves show the typical variation of most
acaulescent hellebores and are divided into leaflets of varying thickness.
Peduncles can be quite long and thin and the plant sometimes has an 'airy'
appearance like that of Helleborus atrorubens when in flower. However, the
bracts are quite large and leaf-like. This can provide the opposite effect as the
flowers mature and new leaves develop. H. dumetorum is among the
smallest of all hellebores, and its pale whiteish green, rather inconspicuous,
flowers add to its demure character. Yet, as a garden plant it has tremendous
value and potential, and even wild plants make nice dense clumps that overall
make quite a. Many plants grown in gardens are less conspicuous.
Given provenance, H. dumetorum is mostly an unmistakable plant (and
morphologically mostly so). In this sense, it represents a relatively clean and
useful division in the genus. There are exceptions: In some areas it seems to
have 'influenced' colonies of plants and seems to play a role in intermediate
forms within and near its geographical distribution. Examples include
intermediates in colonies of H. odorus, H. atrorubens, and H. croaticus. There
are also some colonies where plants seem large and with large leaves but
with 'typical' dumetorum flowers.
Below are some photos of H. dumetorum in Croatia.
________________________
Copyright hellebores.org
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Helleborus dumetorum plants and
habitat. Photos by Joseph Woodard.
habitat. Photos by Joseph Woodard.