12 Black And Purple Hellebores You Could Combine With Snowdrops
Elizabeth is a Permaculture Garden Designer, Sustainability Consultant and Professional Writer, working as an advocate for positive change. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an MA in English and Philosophy and obtained a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design from the Permaculture Association.
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.
IN THIS GUIDE
- 1) H. atrorubens subsp. croaticus
- 2) H. × hybridus ‘Double Black’
- 3) H. orientalis ‘Hello Ruby’
- 4) H. x hybridus Ashwood Garden Hybrids
- 5) H. × hybridus ‘Black Swan’
- 6) H. × hybridus ‘Double Ellen Purple’
- 7) H. × hybridus ‘Harvington Double Dark Purple’
- 8) H. orientalis hort. ‘Shades of Night’
- 9) H. × hybridus ‘Harvington Smokey Blues’
- 10) H. × hybridus Party Dress Group
- 11) H. × hybridus ‘Smokey Blue’
- 12) H. purpurascens
Purple and black hellebore varieties can add a lot of interest and appeal in a partly shaded spot.
The rich, deep and dramatic purple tones possible with this plant mean that they are great to include in a purple-themed garden.
“Black and purple hellebore flowers have a jewel-like quality that invites you in to look more closely,” says Colin Skelly, an RHS Master Horticulturist.
“Combined with other early spring bulbs such as Snowdrops, they can be a real highlight of winter gardens.
“If you have more than one species or cultivar, they will often hybridise to create new variations.”
From rich plums to vibrant grape hues, to purples so deep they are almost black, here are some purple hellebore species and cultivars to consider.
1) H. atrorubens subsp. croaticus
- COMMON NAME(S): croatian hellebore
- HARDINESS RATING: H6
- FOLIAGE: deciduous
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring
- SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade
Starting with a flower which could perhaps be described as being at the more subtle end of the purple colour spectrum, the Croatian hellebore is a clump-forming deciduous perennial which grows to around 40cm tall.
It has rounded leaves divided into leaflets that often have a purple tinge.
The nodding flowers are 2-3cm wide, with deep purple to pinky-purple colouration on the outside of the petals and greenish hues on the inside.
This variety is H6 hardy.
2) H. × hybridus ‘Double Black’
- COMMON NAME(S): hellebore hybrid ‘double black’
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- FOLIAGE: evergreen / semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring
- SUNLIGHT: part shade
Now we zoom to the other end of the spectrum.
This option has some of the darkest hellebore blooms you will find – so deep a purple that it almost edges into black.
The petals’ deep colour contrast appealingly with its greenish-white stamens.
These plants are around 40cm tall.
3) H. orientalis ‘Hello Ruby’
- COMMON NAME(S): hellebore ‘hello ruby’
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- FOLIAGE: deciduous
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter
- SUNLIGHT: part shade
A plummy reddish-purple in hue, these are also stunning flowers to consider.
They grow to around 35cm in height and are hardy perennials which can thrive in dappled shade.
4) H. x hybridus Ashwood Garden Hybrids
- COMMON NAME(S): hellebore Ashwood Garden hybrids
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- FOLIAGE: semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring
- SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade
These hybrid hellebores offer some of the best purple-hued options.
They are seed-raised evergreen herbaceous perennials which grow up to 30cm tall and come in a huge range of single and double, plain and patterned forms, and in a huge range of hues.
Some of the purple flowering ones include:
- Single Dusky Grape
- Double Dusky Grape
- Double Reverse Picotee Purple
- Single plum shades
Though there are also other options which may include some purple or edge into this colour zone.
This group of garden hybrids is very much worth exploring not only if you are looking for purple varieties of hellebore, but also if you are interested in other notable colours and shades.
5) H. × hybridus ‘Black Swan’
- COMMON NAME(S): hellebore hybrid ‘black swan’
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- FOLIAGE: semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring
- SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade
This clump-forming perennial grows around 60cm tall, with dark green, deeply lobed leaves, which usually remain throughout the winter, and stunning deep, rich purple flowers which are outward facing.
These flowers have white stamens, and are borne on strong, upright stems.
This plant is H7 hardy.
6) H. × hybridus ‘Double Ellen Purple’
- COMMON NAME(S): hellebore hybrid ‘double ellen purple’
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- FOLIAGE: semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring
- SUNLIGHT: part shade
This option has double, deep purple flowers that are lightly speckled and have yellow centres, which grow to around 35cm high.
They have dark green leaves, are perfect for partial shade and are H7 hardy.
7) H. × hybridus ‘Harvington Double Dark Purple’
- COMMON NAME(S): hellebore hybrid ‘harvington double dark purple’
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- FOLIAGE: evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring
- SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade
The stunning nodding or outward-facing dark purple flowers on this option bloom from late winter to the middle of spring, to a height of around 60cm above dark green leaves.
Good for planting in full sun or dappled shade.
This is another H7 hardy variety.
8) H. orientalis hort. ‘Shades of Night’
- COMMON NAME(S): hellebore ‘Shades of the Night’
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- FOLIAGE: evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring
- SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade
Another option from Harvington is the stunning ‘Shades of the Night’.
This plant grows to around 45cm tall and produces large, single blooms in a deep purple to black colour.
Also fine in sun or partial shade, this plant is H7 hardy.
9) H. × hybridus ‘Harvington Smokey Blues’
- COMMON NAME(S): hellebore hybrid Harvington Smokey Blues’
- HARDINESS RATING: H4
- FOLIAGE: evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring
- SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade
This variety’s purple-black flowers have a dark bluish sheen and creamy yellow centres.
They are particularly effective amid snowdrops or amongst other white flowering hellebores.
10) H. × hybridus Party Dress Group
- COMMON NAME(S): hellebore Party Dress Group
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- FOLIAGE: evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring
- SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade
If you are looking for somewhat paler shades of purple, then the Party Dress Group of hellebore will provide you with some options.
These neat and slow-growing plants come in a range of hues.
They are hybrids derived from H. torquatus and well-coloured forms of H. x hybridus.
11) H. × hybridus ‘Smokey Blue’
- COMMON NAME(S): hellebore ‘smokey blue’
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- FOLIAGE: semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring
- SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade
This is a clump-forming semi-evergreen perennial, which grows to around 45cm high.
It has deep green leaves and bears beautiful dark greyish-purple blooms from late winter to spring.
12) H. purpurascens
- COMMON NAME(S): purple-flowered Christmas rose
- HARDINESS RATING: H6
- FOLIAGE: deciduous
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring
- SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade
Another option is the purple-flowered Christmas rose.
This is a deciduous, clump-forming perennial which grows to around 25-30cm high.
It has rich purple or pinkish-purple flowers which start opening in December and continue to flower through to March.
