False Hellebore

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Eliza Waters
False Hellebore (Veratrum viride)

False Hellebore (Veratrum viride)

About Eliza Waters

Gardener, writer, photographer, naturalist
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46 Responses to False Hellebore

  1. Anne says:
    May 6, 2020 at 12:26 am

    You have captured the leaf patterns beautifully.

  2. Karen Lang says:
    May 6, 2020 at 1:11 am

    Beautiful aliveness Eliza ☘️🌿

  3. Nathi says:
    May 6, 2020 at 2:10 am

    Reminds me of “elegance”!

  4. Eliza Ayres says:
    May 6, 2020 at 4:17 am

    Reblogged this on Blue Dragon Journal.

  5. neihtn2012 says:
    May 6, 2020 at 5:53 am

    Beautiful capture, but I just read it is toxic! How do you deal with it, should you have to?

    • Eliza Waters says:
      May 6, 2020 at 1:43 pm

      Thank you, Hien. It is only toxic if you eat it, which I don’t, and most critters leave it be, except for slugs, which must not be affected. I love its sculptural lines and that it is one of the earliest greens to emerge in spring.

  6. Reed Andariese says:
    May 6, 2020 at 7:18 am

    Beautiful image Eliza!

  7. Robin says:
    May 6, 2020 at 7:22 am

    So graceful and lovely. ❤

  8. bayphotosbydonna says:
    May 6, 2020 at 7:53 am

    Elegant capture, Eliza ❤

  9. Laurie Graves says:
    May 6, 2020 at 8:38 am

    Second new thing I learned today. Love my blogging friends!

  10. Swati Singh says:
    May 6, 2020 at 10:12 am

    Such chic plant! love it!

  11. Alice says:
    May 6, 2020 at 10:56 am

    Interesting name. It doesn’t look like a Hellebore. Looks like Lady Slipper leaves. Also called ‘Indian Poke’ & as Hien wrote: it’s toxic.

    • Eliza Waters says:
      May 6, 2020 at 1:31 pm

      Perhaps because it emerges about the same time as garden hellebores? And like the same, is equally toxic. Folks foraging sometimes mistake it for skunk cabbage and get sick.

  12. Peter Hillman says:
    May 6, 2020 at 11:00 am

    Beautifully done, Eliza. The colours, the form and fine lines are wonderful.

  13. Andrea Stephenson says:
    May 6, 2020 at 11:13 am

    Very architectural Eliza!

  14. lolaWi says:
    May 6, 2020 at 3:11 pm

    beautiful photo! 🙂

  15. Kris Peterson says:
    May 6, 2020 at 6:51 pm

    An attractive plant. It turns out it’s a California native but likes wetlands 😦

  16. arlingwoman says:
    May 6, 2020 at 7:44 pm

    Interesting. I was thinking it looked nothing like a hellebore as far as foliage and wondering if it flowered. I have heard of Indian poke, though. It’s a lovely looking plant. I can imagine it would be a welcome sight in early spring.

  17. belindagroverphotography says:
    May 7, 2020 at 9:30 am

    How nice to see all these plants showing up and just in time too! Lovely shot!

  18. Maria says:
    May 7, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    It is sculptural, no matter how toxic it may be.

  19. Irene, Heaven's Sunshine says:
    May 7, 2020 at 8:09 pm

    Oh, this is very pretty! Bet it blooms beautifully too.

    • Eliza Waters says:
      May 7, 2020 at 8:17 pm

      Thank you, Irene! The blooms are small and green, so they don’t stand out that much. Also, they bloom after most of the surrounding foliage has grown, so are often obscured. Close up, there are quite pretty.

  20. Steve Gingold says:
    May 8, 2020 at 3:23 pm

    I always enjoy finding these in the early spring along with skunk cabbages. I think I saw these in your yard? They are such a lovely shade of green and you’ve captured that so nicely, Eliza. I’ve never photographed the flowers so hope to see one from you later on.

    • Eliza Waters says:
      May 8, 2020 at 6:01 pm

      Thanks, Steve. They grow along the river lowland here. There’s one section that is quite large. A welcome early green for the eyes to feast upon after the long winter.

  21. AmyRose🌹 says:
    May 8, 2020 at 5:16 pm

    Never have I seen this plant, Eliza. I love the lines on the leaves. Perfection of course!!

    • Eliza Waters says:
      May 8, 2020 at 5:56 pm

      Thank you, Amy! It grows in marshy woodlands and as one of the first green plants to emerge in spring, it stands out against the brown and gray leaf litter.

  22. Isha Garg says:
    May 9, 2020 at 11:02 am

    Wow! This looks so artistic, but I’d definitely credit the artist’s eye to have captured it this way! Wonderful, Eliza!

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