Plants of the Week: February 6

Helleborus niger ‘Praecox’ has been garnering quite a bit of attention lately. While few other plants are in flower – Hamamelis and Galanthus to name two, those plants don’t have such voluminous and eye-catching flowers as Helleborus niger ‘Praecox’. Helleborus niger is known as the Christmas rose for its tendency to bloom in late December. ‘Praecox’ is considered to be the best with large, cup-shaped outward facing white flowers rising well above the evergreen foliage. The cultivar has been a reliable January bloomer. Photo credit: J. Coceano

Yellow is the color of early spring. Eranthis, Narcissus, and Adonis all boast bright yellow blossoms – a bit of cheerfulness in a predominately brown and gray landscape. The same is true for Hamamelis. ‘Angelly’, ‘Pallida’, ‘Sunburst’, ‘Wisley Supreme’ are all favorite yellow-flowering cultivars. Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Danny’ is unique among hybrid witch hazels for the reddish-purple petals and calyx cup. Each flower has four, narrow, ribbon-like, slightly twisted and curled petals which are red at the base transitioning to a paler red at the tip. ‘Danny’ also produces a spicy aroma particularly noticeable on warm sunny days. Photo credit: J. Coceano

Epimedium ‘Pink Champagne’ produces a stunning multi-season display. Evergreen leaves are heavily speckled with large, dark purple blotches. In April, the 2′ tall and 2′ wide clumps are loaded with 15″ long floral spikes, each spike bearing numerous white flowers with a dramatic raspberry cup. The splotched and speckled foliage persists long after flowering and through the fall and winter months. Transitioning to shades of pale green and brown, the foliage remains visually and aesthetically appealing even in the midst of wintertime. Photo credit: J. Coceano