Herb: Stinking Hellebore


Latin name: Helleborus foetidus


Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)



Medicinal use of Stinking Hellebore:

A very toxic plant that is considered to be useful for reducing blood pressure in various conditions of hypertension. Tthe root contains the alkaloids nervine, pseudo-nervine and veratridine. It is best to harvest the root in the autumn and dry it for later use. This species has similar medicinal properties to the black hellebore, H. niger. These properties are:- Black hellebore is a very poisonous plant that is toxic when taken in all but the smallest doses. As such it should not be taken except under professional supervision. The plant contains cardiac glycosides which have a similar action to the foxglove (Digitalis spp) and it has been used as a heart stimulant for the elderly, though this treatment is no longer recommended. The root is anthelmintic, cardiac, cathartic, diuretic, emetic, emmenagogue, irritant, violently narcotic and a drastic purgative. It is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use. It has been used in the treatment of dropsy, amenorrhoea, nervous disorders and hysteria, but it is very poisonous and great care must be taken over the dosage. The root is also applied externally as a local irritant, but even this should be done with care, see notes above on toxicity. A homeopathic remedy is made from the roots. It is used in the treatment of headaches, psychic disorders, enteritis and spasms.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
80 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
February
to April


Scent:
Scented
Perennial

Habitat of the herb:

Woods, scrub and sunny banks on moist chalk and limestone soils.

Other uses of Stinking Hellebore:

A decoction of the roots is used as a parasiticide against body lice, fleas etc. This use is somewhat dangerous, see the notes above on toxicity.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible, it usually germinates in the autumn to spring. Seed can take 18 months to germinate. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. This species produces flowering plants in 2 - 3 years from seed. It is not possible to divide this species, but it is possible to take basal cuttings of young vegetative shoots. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Cultivation of Stinking Hellebore:

Woods, scrub and sunny banks on moist chalk and limestone soils.

Known hazards of Helleborus foetidus:

All parts of the plant are poisonous, this poison can possibly be absorbed through the skin.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.