Home & Garden
Life After Lawn: Made in the (dry) shade
This is one part in a weekly series featuring the UC Davis Arboretum’s “Life After Lawn” series – 45 can’t-fail, easy-care, low-water plants well adapted to our region and ideal for drought-tolerant landscapes.
Mahogany Snow hybrid hellebore
Helleborus X ballardiae ‘Coseh 930’ Gold Collection® Mahogany Snow
Size: Up to 1 foot tall and 2 feet wide.
Bloom season: Large, creamy flowers with pink reverse, aging to a mahogany pink in late winter.
Exposure: Full shade or partial shade; no hot afternoon summer sun.
Pruning needs: Remove old foliage if desired.
Water needs: Medium; once established, irrigate deeply once a week.
Snapshot: Hellebores are nicknamed Lenten rose, because this winter-blooming perennial usually flowers in time for Lent. Hybrid hellebores have expanded the range of colors of this popular plant for dry shade. Mahogany Snow is one of those new introductions and offers long-lasting, two-toned flowers that become pinker as they age. Another plus: Deer don’t like hellebores. These flowers are perfect for that shady spot in flower beds or containers or tucked under large trees. Its bloom period stretches through January and February, brightening the grayest days with beautiful, large flowers.
For more on “Life After Lawn,” click on arboretum.ucdavis.edu.
Comments