Helleborus iburgensis Barolo

Hellebore Ice 'N' Roses Barolo is a variety of the excellent Ice 'N' Roses series. This recent hybrid of Christmas rose has exceptional qualities and presents large, fully open, deep red flowers, illuminated by a beautiful central bouquet of yellow stamens. Very robust, it is resistant to cold, heat, and rather dry soils in summer. Appearing on the market in 2017, these new cultivars are derived from H. corsicus, H. niger, and H. orientalis, combining all the qualities of their parents. Barolo blooms extensively, from January to April, and produces up to 15 stems per plant, each developing several large flowers on compact stalks. Its ornamental foliage is dark green, dark, and leathery. This Hellebore thrives in the ground as well as in pots.

Hellebores belong to the family of Ranunculaceae. The Helleborus (x) glandorfii Ice 'N' Roses® is a complex horticultural hybrid belonging to a series of Christmas roses developed in Germany after many years of research and drastic selection. The flowers of Ice 'N' Roses Hellebores come in 3 colours: red, pink, and white.

The Ice 'N' Roses Barolo Helleborus is a robust and vigorous perennial, with fairly rapid growth and excellent longevity. Although it is sterile and cannot reproduce on its own, it can be divided into clumps for propagation, but the operation is delicate. With a bushy habit, it reaches a minimum height of 40cm (16in) and a width of 50cm (20in) at maturity. From December to March-April, it produces small brownish stems with purplish-violet buds that open into 5-petalled deep red flowers with almost black reflections. These flowers have a satiny texture and measure about 6 to 7cm (2 to 3in) wide, with beautiful yellow stamens in the centre. The evergreen foliage is leathery, composed of leaves 10 to 30cm (4 to 12in) long, carried by brown petioles. They are divided into 5 to 7 ovate or lanceolate segments, strongly dentate, and dark green and satiny in colour. This Hellebore is hardy down to -20°C (-4°F) and tolerates a wide variety of soils, whether they are limestone or clay, humus-bearing or sandy, and even dry in summer.

The Ice 'N' Roses Barolo Hellebore has such adaptability qualities that it should thrive in all gardens, from north to south of the country. Tireless, it blooms continuously and forms a beautiful evergreen ground cover in semi-shaded exposure, accompanied by equally ornamental woodland plants. Awaken its dark tones with the yellow flowers of daffodils, echoing its stamens. Light blue Corydalis, brightly coloured Heucheras, white snowdrops, and vibrant blue wood hyacinths are companions that can enhance its beauty. This Hellebore has an excellent size for planting in a pot, its robustness, low requirements, and floribundity make it a perennial of choice to flourish in containers on the terrace or balcony.