Helleborus Honeymoon 'French Kiss' is an elegant late winter to early spring bloomer featuring upward facing white flowers brushed with raspberry pink and centered with golden stamens. Its leathery evergreen foliage remains attractive year round and its deer and rabbit resistance makes it a reliable choice for low maintenance shade gardens. Blooms emerge before most other perennials offering beauty and structure when little else is in flower.
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, moist, well drained soil with high organic matter
Watering Needs: Moderate; prefers consistent moisture, especially in early spring
Deer Resistance: Highly resistant to deer and rabbits
Native Status
This cultivar originates from Helleborus x hybridus, a complex group of hybrids derived from several European species. While not native to North America, it performs reliably in temperate gardens.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Bees
- Provides vital early nectar and pollen for honeybees, native bumblebees, and small carpenter bees emerging in late winter.
Butterflies
- Occasionally visited by early flying butterflies such as Mourning Cloak and Spring Azure when conditions are mild.
Moths
- Night flying moths including the Half Wing and Small Engrailed may visit blooms on warmer evenings in late winter and early spring.
Beneficial Insects
- Attracts hoverflies and other beneficial insects that help with early season pollination and pest control.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 18 - 24 in apart to form natural clumps and allow airflow between mature plants.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent for shaded borders, woodland gardens, and underplanting deciduous shrubs. Its evergreen foliage and early flowers add structure and interest through winter and early spring.
Companion Plants
- Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' (Variegated Solomons Seal) - Arches elegantly above hellebore clumps and brings bright variegation to shaded areas.
- Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' (Japanese Sedge) - Adds evergreen fine textured foliage and lightens shade with its golden variegation.
- Heuchera 'Palace Purple' (Coral Bells) - Contributes rich burgundy foliage that contrasts with hellebore leaves and flowers.
- Brunnera macrophylla (Siberian Bugloss) - Provides heart shaped leaves and forget me not blue flowers that bloom shortly after hellebores fade.
- Iris reticulata (Dwarf Iris) - Offers compact spring blooms in deep purple or blue that emerge alongside hellebore flowers.