Helleborus niger L. Christmas Rose, Black Hellebore, DE: Christrose, Gewöhnliche Chrostrose, Schwarze Nieswurz, Gewöhnliche Schneerose Slo.: črni teloh
Dat.: March 23. 2017
Lat.: 46.37228 Long.: 13.73754
Habitat: Mixed riparian forest, Picea abies dominant; very close to river bed, flat terrain, alluvial, sandy, calcareous ground; in shade, humid air and ground; elevation 575 m (1.880 feet); average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 6-8 deg C, alpine phytogeographical region.
Substratum: soil.
Place: Lower Trenta valley, downstream of Trenta village, left bank of river Soča, near Soča trail, close to Maslc farm house, East Julian Alps, Posočje, Slovenia EC.
Comment: Helleborus niger is another plant, which fuels my admiration year after year. Its large, up to 10 cm in diameter, snow-white flowers (when young) with their unusual structure (large white 'petals' are actually sepals!) are very beautifully shaped. But they are not only white! Many other shades from yellow, greenish, vividly pink, wine-red, to purple can be found during their growth. The first flowers already appear in earl winter, sometimes even in late November, if the weather allows and bloom well in April, even in May on cool places with lot of snow during the winter. The plant is a floral element of south and east Alps It is widely exploited in horticulture. Helleborus niger is especially valued in Japan, where Helleborus societies are establish, which organize trips to European places where displays of wild growing plants can be admired.
In west Slovenian in Upper Soča river valley and elsewhere Helleborus niger is too common plant to be truly admired. In February and March there are zillions of plants flowering everywhere, in forests, on grassland and especially along wood edges. On many places they represent the most dominant flowering plant not only during late winter but also in early spring.
How many species genus Helleborus comprise is still an open question. The number varies from 5 to 20, depending on to whom you trust. Many of them are extremely polymorphic and any kind of intermediate forms can be found.
Protected according to: Uredba o zavarovanih prostoživečih rastlinskih vrstah, poglavje A, Uradni list RS, št. 46/2004 (Regulation of protected wild plants, chapter A, Official Gazette of Republic Slovenia, no. 46/2004), (2004). However, protected are only underground parts and seeds (Oo category). Protected also in some other EU states.
Ref.:
(1) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 1., Haupt (2004), p 122.
(2) K. Lauber and G. Wagner, Flora Helvetica, 5. Auflage, Haupt (2012), p 100.
(3) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora für Österreich, Liechtenstein und Südtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 276.
(4) A. Martinči et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnična Založba Slovenije (2007), p 127.
(5) P. Skoberne, Zavarovane rastline Slovenije (Protected Plants of Slovenia), Mladinska Kniga (2007) (in Slovenian), p 103.
Helleborus niger L. Christmas Rose, Black Hellebore, DE: Christrose, Gewöhnliche Chrostrose, Schwarze Nieswurz, Gewöhnliche Schneerose Slo.: črni teloh
Dat.: March 23. 2017
Lat.: 46.37228 Long.: 13.73754
Habitat: Mixed riparian forest, Picea abies dominant; very close to river bed, flat terrain, alluvial, sandy, calcareous ground; in shade, humid air and ground; elevation 575 m (1.880 feet); average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 6-8 deg C, alpine phytogeographical region.
Substratum: soil.
Place: Lower Trenta valley, downstream of Trenta village, left bank of river Soča, near Soča trail, close to Maslc farm house, East Julian Alps, Posočje, Slovenia EC.
Comment: Helleborus niger is another plant, which fuels my admiration year after year. Its large, up to 10 cm in diameter, snow-white flowers (when young) with their unusual structure (large white 'petals' are actually sepals!) are very beautifully shaped. But they are not only white! Many other shades from yellow, greenish, vividly pink, wine-red, to purple can be found during their growth. The first flowers already appear in earl winter, sometimes even in late November, if the weather allows and bloom well in April, even in May on cool places with lot of snow during the winter. The plant is a floral element of south and east Alps It is widely exploited in horticulture. Helleborus niger is especially valued in Japan, where Helleborus societies are establish, which organize trips to European places where displays of wild growing plants can be admired.
In west Slovenian in Upper Soča river valley and elsewhere Helleborus niger is too common plant to be truly admired. In February and March there are zillions of plants flowering everywhere, in forests, on grassland and especially along wood edges. On many places they represent the most dominant flowering plant not only during late winter but also in early spring.
How many species genus Helleborus comprise is still an open question. The number varies from 5 to 20, depending on to whom you trust. Many of them are extremely polymorphic and any kind of intermediate forms can be found.
Protected according to: Uredba o zavarovanih prostoživečih rastlinskih vrstah, poglavje A, Uradni list RS, št. 46/2004 (Regulation of protected wild plants, chapter A, Official Gazette of Republic Slovenia, no. 46/2004), (2004). However, protected are only underground parts and seeds (Oo category). Protected also in some other EU states.
Ref.:
(1) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 1., Haupt (2004), p 122.
(2) K. Lauber and G. Wagner, Flora Helvetica, 5. Auflage, Haupt (2012), p 100.
(3) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora für Österreich, Liechtenstein und Südtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 276.
(4) A. Martinči et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnična Založba Slovenije (2007), p 127.
(5) P. Skoberne, Zavarovane rastline Slovenije (Protected Plants of Slovenia), Mladinska Kniga (2007) (in Slovenian), p 103.