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Helleborus thibetanus, Franchet (1885) Perennial, glabrous; 12-18" in flower Leaves basal, pedate, serrate with 8-10 segments; not overwintering Flowers white-pink, often veined; 1.5-2.5" in diameter Western China High altitude, damp forests; elevations 3300-10,000' Perhaps the loneliest of all hellebore species, Helleborus thibetanus is completely isolated geographically from other species in the genus. Endemic to China's Gansu, Shaanxi, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces, H. thibetanus is relatively new to western gardens. Though previously known (formerly as Helleborus chinensis and Helleborus viridis var. thibetanus), it was only recently rediscovered and introduced to gardens in Europe. Now it is becoming more widely available but is still one of the more elusive hellebores to find in North America. It has been found primarily in the shade of shrubs and trees, often in dense shade in elevations of over 3000 feet. It is perhaps less inclined to thrive in hot exposed locations and generally seems to prefer dappled shade and somewhat moist conditions. The leaves go dormant early in the season, usually in summer. It carries one or two basal leaves along with smaller cauline leaves. One of the unique characteristics of this species is its common habit of often forming two follicles as opposed to the typical three (or more) in most hellebores. This is one reason why seed set does not occur in plentiful quantities and consequently why relatively few nursery-raised plants are available on the market. The seed of H. thibetanus germinates and sends up its first true leaf without visible cotyledons (i.e. hypogeal). Sepals are generally white to red-pink fading to green when fruiting, and the bracts are noticeably large. A fully mature plant is beautiful emerging from the soil in late winter, but the horticultural value is reduced somewhat considering its short period of active growth. It remains to be seen whether this plant will thrive in a continental climate of extremes with continual periods of drought and heat. H. thibetanus has produced hybrids with other hellebore species, but it is still too early to tell the results as such hybrids have been done on a small scale and are not generally commercially available.

H. abruzzicus H. argutifolius H. atrorubens H. bocconei H. croaticus H. cyclophyllus H. dumetorum H. foetidus H. hercegovinus H. istriacus H. liguricus H. lividus H. multifidus H. niger H. occidentalis H. odorus H. orientalis H. purpurascens H. torquatus H. vesicarius H. viridis 'New' Hellebores

Helleborus thibetanus in cultivation. Photo by Mike Byford