The WALA Plant Library
White Hellebore

Synonyms for White Hellebore: White False Hellebore, White False Helleborine, Itchweed
Scientific Name: Veratrum album L.
Family: Melanthiaceae (Bunchflower family)

Description:

The White Hellebore is an impressive feature of the wet meadows of mountainous regions. It resembles the Yellow Gentian in stature and in the appearance of its leaves, but is actually related to the Lily family. Its short, cylindrical rhizome has numerous thin root outgrowths and bears a thickly haired stem which can grow up to 1.5 metres high. The lower part of this stem is encased in large, elliptical leaves which can reach 30 centimetres in length. Towards the top of the plant the leaves become lance-shaped. They are parallel-veined. The upper portion of the plant is dominated by a large cluster of massed flowers. The individual florets can grow to about one centimetre in size and are white to greenish-white with six petals. They do not appear until this perennial plant is around ten years old. White Hellebore flowers from July to August, and its great clusters of flowers are very impressive. In sunny weather, in particular, they develop an obtrusive scent which emphasises this powerful impression.

Warning: All parts of this plant, especially the root, are deadly poisonous! Care should be taken to differentiate between the White Hellebore and the Yellow Gentian, to which it is almost identical when not in flower. The Yellow Gentian is used as strong bitters in aids to digestion. One good way of distinguishing the plants is to look at the leaf veins: in the White Hellebore these are parallel, while in the Yellow Gentian they are reticulate. Nevertheless, great care should be exercised when collecting Yellow Gentian!