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Key characteristics

Family: Ranunculaceae
Height: 18 to 24 in
Width: 18 to 24 in
Flower color: Deep purple-black to nearly black (sometimes charcoal-purple) single flowers
Foliage color: Dark green, leathery, evergreen leaves
Bloom time: Late winter into early spring
Light: Partial shade to full shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low; remove spent flower stems after bloom and cut back old or tattered leaves in late winter before new growth emerges
Growing zone: USDA zones 4 to 9
Wildlife: Flowers offer early-season nectar and pollen for bumblebees and other pollinators

Perennials

Helleborus × hybridus 'New York Night'

New York Night Lenten Rose

Helleborus × hybridus 'New York Night' is an evergreen perennial that forms a tidy mound of dark green, leathery leaves and bears nodding, single flowers. The blooms range from deep charcoal-purple to near jet black, with a central cluster of pale or creamy stamens. The flowers appear on sturdy stems from late winter into early spring, often from February through April, bringing dramatic, long-lasting color when few other plants bloom.

Light

Partial shade to full shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Late winter into early spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Shade Gardens
Woodland Gardens
Pollinator Gardens
Containers

Companion plants

Bleeding hearts · Solomon's seal · Ferns · Lungworts · Wild ginger · Japanese forest grass

Design tip

Flowers in the quietest months make this worth a sheltered spot within sight of a window or door. Cooler light suits it, so tuck it on the north side of a shrub or wall where the soil stays even.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)