Veratrum nigrum

Veratrum nigrum, Black False Hellebore is a choice woodland rhizomatous perennial with large pleated leaves producing a tall flowering scape of black-maroon flowers in the summer. The foliage is wonderfully exotic and lush and at its most striking in mid-Spring when its broad leaves are fresh and at their most intensely green. Slowly, ever so slowly, Veratrum nigrum forms a clumping colony and for those among us that prize any members of the Melanthiaceae, it becomes a source of great joy. As Christopher Lloyd wrote, 'A colony of any well-grown Veratrum species, has me standing agape before it.'

The foliage needs protecting from snails and the fact that it is highly toxic doesn't seem to deter the pesky molluscs at all. In summer, the flower scape produces densely-packed racemes of purplish-black flowers with contrasting yellow anthers. Each branching raceme tends to be vertically aligned giving an increased sense of height.

A highly-desirable plant for the plant-connoisseur. These are good-sized plants in good-sized pots. Very limited quantities.