Scientific name: Veratrum nigrum
Synonym: Veratrum ussuriense
Family: MELANTHIACEAE
Common names: “Dark flowered white hellebore” “Black false hellebore”
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Conditions:
Zone: 5-8
Light: Full sun – part shade
Exposure: Sheltered from cold and wind
Soil: Fertile humus rich, doesn’t like clay
Moisture: Moist well drained, cannot dry out
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 4-6′ W 2-3′
Leaf and Stem shape: Handsome, pleated, elliptic leaves
Flower: Tall Spikes bearing large panicles of small star-shaped, deep reddish-brown flowers
Maintenance: Low, flowered spikes may be cut down when finished or left for extended interest
Landscape use: Mixed borders, shrub underplanting, woodland and cottage gardens, wildlife garden
Propagate: By seed and division
Pests & Disease: Slugs and snails may cause damage
*Attracts butterflies
Comments: ~AGM winner, all parts poisonous if ingested, slow growing plants can take up to 3 years before they bloom
Vancouver Island Grows 