Warning: Also known as American hellebore, this North American native is extremely toxic and should not be used as a home remedy. Symptoms include burning in the throat, impaired vision, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, loss of consciousness, paralysis, and sometimes death. The effects of ingesting it are slow to show themselves but inevitably will make you to feel that death is imminent.
In spite of these warnings, it must be acknowledged that there are medicinal benefits to the plant but they are limited because of its toxicity. The herb contains some ester alkaloids that are used to treat hypertensive toxemia during pregnancy and some dire cases of pulmonary edema but again, I stress, this is not an herb for experimentation.
Please note, false hellebore is not even vaguely related to the other plants more commonly known as hellebores. If you are concerned about safety, don’t avoid all the true hellebores and are in the genus Helleborus. The true hellebores that are not related to false hellebore and Christmas hellebore, Lenten rose, and stinking hellebore.
False hellebore can be found in wet woods and swamps from Canada to the Carolinas but is also found in Alaska, and the mountains of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. It is a tall unbranched plant with a leafy, hairy stem and very attractive light green foliage. The small greenish flowers are borne in terminal panicles in summer.
Type: Perennial herb
Bloom: Greenish yellow flowers one inch wide are borne on panicles up to two feet wide in summer.
Foliage: Alternate, bright green, oval or elliptical leaves are 6-1” long and 3-6” wide and are hairy and heavily ribbed.
Size: 2-8’ H x 2′ W
Light: Light shade
Soil: Average, moist
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Care: Low maintenance
Pests and Diseases: None of significance
Propagation: Division; seed.
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