Helleborus Honeymoon 'Rome in Red' offers dramatic deep burgundy blooms that open in late winter and persist through early spring even in freezing temperatures. Its leathery evergreen foliage adds year round texture and the nodding flowers create visual interest when few other plants are blooming. Each blossom boasts rounded petals and golden centers making it a standout in shade gardens or winter containers.
Height & Spread: 18 - 24 in x 18 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Late winter to early spring
Light Requirements: Part shade to full shade
Soil Preference: Rich, organic, well drained soil
Watering Needs: Moderate; consistent moisture preferred during establishment
Deer Resistance: Highly deer resistant due to toxic foliage
Native Status
This plant is a hybrid selection derived from Helleborus orientalis and other Eurasian species. It is not native to North America but is well adapted for ornamental cultivation.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Bees
- Provides early season pollen for honeybees and native bees when few other floral resources are available.
Butterflies
- Occasionally visited by early emerging butterflies such as Mourning Cloaks searching for moisture and minerals around the plant base.
Beneficial Insects
- Offers habitat and shelter for overwintering ground beetles and predatory insects beneath its evergreen foliage.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 18 - 24 in apart to accommodate the mature foliage spread and allow for airflow in shaded plantings.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent for shaded borders, woodland edges, and under deciduous trees where winter visibility enhances their impact. Suitable for massing, specimen planting, or container gardens with year round structure.
Companion Plants
- Ferns (Dryopteris erythrosora) - Offers arching coppery fronds that unfurl as hellebores fade creating seasonal transition and textural contrast.
- Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' - Features silver veined leaves and blue flowers that pair well with burgundy blooms and persist into late spring.
- Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' - Adds architectural arching stems and white bell shaped flowers in dappled light settings.
- Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride' - Offers soft green mounding foliage and late season bloom spikes that contrast with hellebore’s early color.
- Epimedium x rubrum - Produces red tinged heart shaped foliage and spring flowers that complement hellebore color and shade tolerance.