Helleborus Frostkiss® Anna's Red Hellebore

The Helleborus Frostkiss® Anna's Red Hellebore stands as a beacon of beauty in any shade garden, offering an exquisite display of deep-burgundy flowers that bloom profusely from the winter through to the early spring. This evergreen perennial is a treasure in the garden, with its unique, marbled foliage that transitions from a bronze-green with vibrant pink veins in the spring to a mature cream variegation, perfectly complementing the rich color of Anna Pavord's namesake blooms. The long-lasting, nodding to outward-facing flowers are not only a sight to behold but also serve as a vital early food source for emerging bees, thanks to their nectar and pollen.

As a robust Helleborus hybrid, commonly referred to as the Lenten rose, Anna's Red exhibits vigorous growth and an upright, mounding habit. It shines when massed or grouped in garden beds, borders, or patio pots, and doubles as an enchanting ground cover that will naturally expand through its rhizomatous roots without becoming invasive. This variety is particularly striking when planted under the dappled shade of a high-branched deciduous tree or a large shrub, offering protection from the harsh winter winds.

Anna's Red is celebrated for its cold hardiness, ease of growth, and minimal maintenance requirements. It thrives in dappled shade environments with organically rich, moist, yet well-draining soil, adaptable to a neutral to alkaline pH. Remarkably resilient, it can grow in a variety of soil types, including chalk, clay, and loam, and withstands different growing conditions. Once established, it demonstrates drought tolerance, although it does not fare well in overly wet conditions. Additionally, it is resistant to deer and rabbits.

Helleborus are early blooming evergreen perennials with nodding flowers that delight in your winter garden. Follow our expert's advice on Hellebore Planting and Care and learn more about these long-lived plants in our blog All About Hellebores.