Christmas rose

Christmas rose
a European hellebore, Helleborus niger, having evergreen leaves and white-to-purplish flowers that bloom in the winter. Also called winter rose.
[1680-90]

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herb
also called  Winter Rose, or Black Hellebore 

      (species Helleborus niger), small poisonous perennial herb of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), known for its tendency to bloom from late autumn to early spring, often in the snow. It has evergreen compound leaves, of seven or more leaflets arranged like the fingers on a hand, that arise directly on leafstalks from the crown of the plant. The striking flowers, of five coloured sepals, are 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 inches) across, are whitish to pinkish green, and appear during the winter, often at Christmas, in mild climates and in late spring in colder areas. Improved varieties include “Altifolius,” somewhat taller, and “Potter's Wheel,” with broader sepals. The Christmas rose flourishes in moist soil and partial shade in mild climates or in protected locations in colder areas and is sometimes forced to bloom in the greenhouse.

      The closely related Lenten rose (H. orientalis), blooming later, with cream to purplish flowers in clusters of two to six, is popular in Europe.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Synonyms:
(Helleborus niger)


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Christmas rose — Christmas Christ mas, n. [Christ + mass.] An annual church festival (December 25) and in some States a legal holiday, in memory of the birth of Christ, often celebrated by a particular church service, and also by special gifts, greetings, and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Christmas rose — refers to one of the following plants: Helleborus spp., especially Helleborus niger Hydrangia macrophylla, see Hydrangia This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an …   Wikipedia

  • Christmas rose — n BLACK HELLEBORE (1) …   Medical dictionary

  • Christmas rose — ► NOUN ▪ a small white flowered winter blooming hellebore …   English terms dictionary

  • Christmas rose — noun European evergreen plant with white or purplish rose like winter blooming flowers • Syn: ↑winter rose, ↑black hellebore, ↑Helleborus niger • Hypernyms: ↑hellebore * * * noun Usage: usually capitalized C : a Eu …   Useful english dictionary

  • Christmas rose — baltažiedis eleboras statusas T sritis vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Helleborus niger angl. black Christmas rose; black hellebore; Christ hellebore; Christmas rose vok. Christrose; Schneerose; schwarze Nieswurz; Weihnachtsrose rus. морозник чeрный… …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • Christmas-rose — baltažiedis heleboras statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Vėdryninių šeimos dekoratyvinis, vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Helleborus niger), paplitęs pietų Europoje. atitikmenys: lot. Helleborus niger angl. black helleborus; Christmas rose… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Christmas rose — Christ′mas rose n. pln a European hellebore, Helleborus niger, having evergreen leaves and flowers that bloom in the winter • Etymology: 1680–90 …   From formal English to slang

  • Christmas rose — noun Date: 1688 a European evergreen herb (Helleborus niger) of the buttercup family that has usually white flowers produced in winter …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Christmas rose — noun a small white flowered winter blooming hellebore. [Helleborus niger.] …   English new terms dictionary

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