Veratrum album

Common Names

White Hellebore, White Veratrum, European White Hellebore, False Hellebore, White False Hellebore

Summary

White Hellebore is a tall, rhizomatous perennial native to Europe and western Asia, with alternate pleated leaves, strong stems, and panicles of white flowers often marked with green on the upper stalk; it forms a long-lived presence in damp sub-alpine meadows and open woodlands, and produces small pod-like fruit with winged seeds; it is unpalatable to grazing, which helps it dominate wild areas; pollinators include bees, flies, and Lepidoptera.

For cultivation, it prefers moist, humus-rich, deep, well-drained soil with partial shade to full sun and dislikes drought; hardy to UK zone 5 and capable of long life, potentially taking up to 10 years to mature; propagation is by seed (cold frame with stratification) or autumn division; pests include slugs and snails; it is grown ornamentally and has the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in the UK; all parts are poisonous and handling should be done with gloves; historically used in medicine as analgesic, emetic, cathartic, diaphoretic, and sternutatory, and dried rhizomes were used as an insecticide.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-7 feet

Spread

2 ft

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-8

Sunlight Requirements

Partial Shade is ideal; may tolerate Full Sun to Partial Shade; healthiest in shade; may tolerate full sun if soil is moist.

Soil Type

Deep, humus-rich, moisture-retentive, well-draining loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Moist, well-drained yet moisture-retentive loamy soil rich in humus and organic matter.

Soil pH

6.5, Slightly acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow rate of growth

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Root cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, and flies