Helleborus x nigercors Scrat Ice - Hellebore

Helleborus x nigercors 'Scrat Ice' is an interesting hybrid Christmas rose known for its robustness and generous flowering that extends from winter to the start of spring. It is a truly undemanding perennial plant that will not disappoint. This 'Scrat Ice' variety is sterile and produces numerous pale yellow flowers with a green heart. The colour of the flowers changes over time, fading to antique tones. They bloom in clusters just above a tough, strongly toothed, deep green foliage. This hellebore can thrive in most climates and even in soils fairly dry during summer.

Helleborus x nigercors belongs to the family of Ranunculaceae. These are horticultural hybrids resulting from the cross-breeding of Helleborus niger (the true Christmas rose), which is widespread on the forest slopes of the central and eastern Alps up to 1800 metres (5905 feet) in altitude, on limestone soil, and Helleborus argutifolius (Corsican hellebore), native to Mediterranean mountain ranges.

The 'Scrat Ice' Hellebore is a sterile, hardy perennial plant with remarkable longevity and slow growth. Reproduction is only possible through division of clumps, as it produces no seed. A mature plant will reach 40 to 45 cm (16 to 18in) high with a spread of 40-50 cm (16-20in). From December to March, brown floral stems appear, bearing buds that open into pale yellow flowers measuring 6-7 cm (2-3in) wide with green stamens. The flowers gradually fade into shades of old rose, green, and brown. The evergreen foliage is composed of thick, leathery, 10 to 30 cm (4 to 12in) long leaves with brownish petioles. They are divided into 5 to 7 oval or lanceolate heavily toothed, satin-like, dark green segments. This hellebore is hardy down to -20°C (-4°F) and can tolerate a wide range of soils, limestone or clay, humus-bearing or sandy, consistently moist or even dry during the summer.

One of the main strengths of helleborus x nigercors is its long and exuberant flowering period. From the first year, more than twenty flowers will appear on the plants. New flowers continuously form, creating a beautiful contrast between the blooming and faded flowers. These flowers can be used in bouquets. It is an excellent plant for partially shaded areas of the garden. Use hellebores like elements in an antique tapestry, mixing them with woodland plants in brighter colours. They can be showcased at the base of variegated evergreen bushes such as Photinia 'Pink Crispy', Osmanthus heterophyllus tricolor, or the traditional Japanese Aucuba. You can also accompany them with cyclamens, ferns, and 'Iris japonica' to create a beautiful contrast a little later in the season. You can also plant them in a group near the entrance of the house in a shaded area to fully enjoy their early flowers. They are suitable for flowerbeds, borders, and even containers... Over time, the flowers of the hellebore do not wither like most other flowers, but instead dry out.