Seven days of spring - Day five

It is the weekend! Day five will be about the lenten rose which is scientifically known as the helleborus orientalis. These delightful little plants are a type of hellebore, and are part of the buttercup family called ranunculaceae, which are native to Greece and Turkey. The species was first described and named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1789. The plant was given the common name lenten rose due to it flowering during the period of Lent, and the buds resemble roses.

The plants can grow up to 45cm tall, and consist of 7-9 evergreen leaves which are palm-shaped. The flowers can grow during late winter and early spring, and appear on plants in groups of between 1-4. These pretty flowers come in a variety of colours including pink, purple, red, white, green, and yellow. Pictured below is the pink/purple variety.

A lovely lenten rose that has bloomed, signaling that we are on the verge of spring