| Other names are Winter Hellebore,
Aconitum
or Aconite. Many species of Aconitum are cultivated in gardens, some having
blue and others yellow flowers. As garden plants the aconites are very
ornamental, hardy perennials. They thrive well in any ordinary garden soil,
and will grow beneath the shade of trees. Flowers with us in February
or March, and hence is liable to be cut off by severe frosts.
They are easily propagated
by divisions of the root which are send out in plenty or by seeds. Roots
may be taken up and transplanted any time after their leaves decay, which
is generally by the beginning of June till October, when they will begin
to put out new fibres; but as the roots are small and nearly the colour
of the ground, so if care is not taken to search for them, many of the
roots will be left in the ground. These roots should be planted in small
clusters, otherwise they will not make a good appearance, for single flowers
scattered about the borders of these small kinds are scarce seen at a distance;
but when these and the Snowdrops are alternately planted in bunches, they
will have a good effect, as they flower at the same time, and are much
of a size.
NOTE: Special care should
be taken not to leave pieces of the root where livestock might eat them,
owing to the poisonous character.
Helleborus Hyemalis grows
wild in Lombardy, Italy, and Austria, affects mountainous situations, and
it is also common plant in the Alps of Switzerland. |
