Veratrum album JMH7979 

'White Hellebore'

[Ex. Andorra]

Melanthiaceae: a very long lived perennial herb to 1.5m, with a stout vertical rhizome covered with remnants of old leaf sheaths. Found Moist grassy sub-alpine meadows and open woods. The flowers are yellowish-white, green at the back, 8 lines in diameter, and produced in a terminal panicle, blooming from July-August. The leaves are alternate, plaited, broad-ovate, and acutish. Native to Europe, Eastern Asia – Siberia, and North Africa.

USES:

The root is analgesic, anthelmintic, cathartic, emetic, errhine, expectorant, hypnotic and sternutatory properties.

The dried and powdered root contains pyrethrums and is used as an insecticide and a parasiticide,

WARNING: The root is very poisonous, with a paralysing effect on the nervous system, and is scarcely if ever used internally.

GROWING INFORMATION:

seed needs to be stratified but can be very slow to germinate. Germination can be erratic even for seed sown when it was fresh, it usually takes place within 3 - 12 months at 15°C but can be much longer. The plant produces just one seed-leaf in its first year, this forms an over-wintering bulb. It takes up to 10 years for the plant to reach maturity. Sow the seed thinly so there is no need to thin or transplant them, and grow the seedlings on undisturbed in the pot for their first two years of growth. Apply a liquid feed at intervals through the growing season to ensure the plants do not become nutrient deficient. At the end of the second year plant out the dormant plants into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for a further year or two before planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer.

Requires a deep fertile moisture retentive humus-rich soil. Succeeds in full sun if the soil does not dry out but prefers a position in semi-shade. Dislikes dry soils. Grows best in a cool woodland garden or a north facing border. Plants are long-lived and can be left in the same position for years without attention. NOT EASY FROM SEED.

NOTES: Finally in full flower again, it's been three years since these plants last flowered for me, so grab the seed while you can.

HARVESTED: 
 

APPROX. 45+ SEEDS