Plant Profile Picture or Drawing Botanical Name: Helleborous orientalis/Helleborous argutifolius Common Name:Winter Rose Christmas Rose, Lenten Rose or Hellebore FAMILY NAME: Ranunculaceae Species and cultivars of special interest: Origin: Native to Europe and Western Asia. Availability: Winter and early spring Foliage Characteristics: A clump forming perennial with attractive, dark green, deeply lobed and divided leaves that remain all year. Floral Characteristics: Flowers are produced on short stems of 20-40cm length. Blooms have 5 sepals( a type of petal) surrounded by a ring of small cup like nectaries. Come in many colours including white, pink, purple, green and yellow. Petals do not drop as flower dries. Special features and characteristics of special interest: All hellebores are poisonous. Myth has it that they ward off evil spirits so have traditionally been planted near doorways in Europe. Maintenance, Cultural requirements and Post Harvest Treatments: The plants themselves like part shade and to grow I well draining, moist humus rich soil. Do not let them dry out in summer. After flowering a top dress of manure or compost is appreciated. Purchase flowers when half open. Place in water asap. Trim stems especially when the grower has scalded them. If flowers are floppy they can be bathed in room temperature water for three hours to replenish themselves. Avoid brown petals as these are old blooms but suitable for drying. Can be kept on a cool room at 2-5 degrees Celsius. Pest and Diseases: Nil other than snails, slugs and aphids. Use In Floristry: Best application is in cottage designs or wired wedding work. Not suitable for corporate designs due to low tolerance to air conditioning. Customer advice: Place in water treated with preservative asap after trimming stems two centimetres. Change water every second day. Will like misting as absorb water through leaves and petals. Keep in a cool place. Bibliography Google Images www.marketfresh.com.au/flo wers Flowers by Colour Publisher Weldon Russell 1990 Botanical-The Illustrated A-Z of over 10,000 garden plants. Random House 1997 Fresh Cut Flowers by Gregory Milner .