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Key characteristics

Family: Ranunculaceae
Height: 12 to 24 inches
Width: 12 to 24 inches
Flower color: Light pink to rose, outward-facing blooms with cream-colored stamens
Foliage color: Evergreen, dark green with silver marbling and lavender-purple hues
Bloom time: February to April
Light: Partial shade to full shade
Water: Moist, well-drained soil
Maintenance: Low; remove old foliage in late winter
Growing zone: USDA Zones 4 to 9
Wildlife: Attracts pollinators; deer and rabbit resistant

Perennials

Helleborus x hybridus 'Dorothy's Dawn'

Dorothy's Dawn Lenten Rose

Helleborus × hybridus 'Dorothy's Dawn' is an evergreen perennial developed by Rodney Davey as part of the Frostkiss® series. This cultivar blooms from mid-winter to mid-spring, typically from February through April, producing large, outward-facing flowers in soft to rosy pink hues with a central cluster of cream-colored stamens.

A notable feature of 'Dorothy's Dawn' is its leathery, divided leaves adorned with white marbling, and lavender-purple hues, becoming more pronounced during the winter months.

Light

Partial shade to full shade

Water

Moist, well-drained soil

Bloom time

February to April

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Shade Gardens
Woodland Gardens
Pollinator Gardens
Rain Gardens

Companion plants

Japanese forest grass · Astilbes · Heucheras · Siberian bugloss · Sweet woodruff · Foamflowers

Design tip

Foliage and form do most of the work here, so lean on texture and repetition rather than one flowering moment. 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)