Winter care: we are into the colder months. Protect newly planted or tender specimens from hard frosts, and hold off planting out until the frost risk has passed.
Helleborus foetidus, the stinking hellebore, is one of only two hellebores native to Britain, and in the depths of winter it behaves like nothing else in the flora: from January to April, airy heads of pale green bells, each rimmed purple-red, stand above deeply fingered, black-green evergreen foliage. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit, and queen bumblebees emerging on mild winter days depend on it.
Hardiness and seasons. Rated H7, the RHS's top rating, hardy below -20C: there is nowhere in the UK too cold for it. Individual plants live three to five years but self-sow gently, so a planting renews itself indefinitely.
In the garden. A chalkland native, superb in dry shade under deciduous trees, threading through an exotic border, or anywhere its architectural winter presence can be seen. One of the hardest-working plants for pollinators in the bleakest months. And the name is unfair: it smells only if you crush the leaves.
Live Arrival Guarantee
All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.
Ordering in autumn or winter? Many hardy exotics arrive dormant or cut back right now. This is normal, and the best time to plant.
Seasonal by nature: what to expect
Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.
Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal.
Read what to expect through the seasons
Delivery and returns
See all delivery pricing tiers
Based on your basket total, confirmed at checkout. Free delivery: Economy over £60 · Standard over £100 · Express over £150.
Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.
Outdoor plants are sold by the size of their pot — measured in litres, with the pot diameter in cm.
A larger pot means a more established plant for quicker impact in the garden; a smaller pot is better value and
soon catches up once planted out.
9cm · 0.5L
Young plant
A young, vigorous plant and the most economical way to build up a planting. Give it a season or two and it will romp away.
~13cm · 1L
Starter
A well-rooted young plant, ready to grow on in a border or container. Great value for filling space over a season or two.
~15cm · 2L
Established
A bushier, more established plant with a developed root system — a dependable middle ground that suits most gardens.
~17cm · 3L
Garden ready
A strong, garden-ready plant that establishes quickly and makes a visible difference in its very first season.
~19cm · 5L
Instant impact
A larger, fuller specimen for immediate presence — ideal when you want the planted look straight away.
21cm+ · 7.5L+
Specimen
A mature, substantial specimen — the quickest route to an established, fully planted-up feel.
Pots that fit this plant
We recommend
How to care for Stinking Hellebore
Plant me in full sun and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.
In their words
What our customers say
EP
Emily P.
Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.
JR
James R.
Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.
SL
Sophie L.
Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.
Get to know me
About Stinking Hellebore
Helleborus foetidus needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.
RHS H7, hardy below -20C, the top rating there is: nowhere in the UK is too cold. Shelter from the worst winds keeps the evergreen foliage and early flowerheads unmarked. See what to expect from outdoor plants.
Position
Full sunPartial shadeNorth-facingEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered
Partial shade is ideal, though it tolerates full sun; any aspect, sheltered. Excellent under deciduous trees and shrubs where it catches winter light.
Soil
ChalkClayLoamMoist but well-drainedAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Moist, fertile, humus-rich soil is ideal: chalk, clay or loam, neutral to alkaline. A chalkland native, very happy on lime, and it copes with dry shade once established.
Watering
Water through the first season and mulch annually in autumn; after that it looks after itself, needing water only in prolonged drought.Read moreShow less
Water through the first season and mulch annually in autumn; after that it looks after itself, needing water only in prolonged drought.
Mature size
Height0.5 to 1m (RHS; typically around 60cm in flower)
Spread0.1 to 0.5m (RHS)
Reaches full size in 2 to 5 years
Growth habit
Bushy
Flowering
JFMAMJJASOND
January to April (large open clusters of nodding, pale green bells, each usually rimmed purple-red, from late winter into spring; buds often show from midwinter) · Green, Purple
Foliage
Evergreen
Pruning
No routine pruning. Remove faded or damaged foliage as the flowers appear (RHS). It is caulescent, flowering at the top of last year's leafy stems: cut the spent flowered stems to the base in late spring, leaving any new basal shoots, and let a few seedheads stand if you want it to self-sow.
Toxicity
RHS: potentially harmful; harmful if eaten and can irritate the skin, for people and pets. All hellebores are toxic; wear gloves when handling and keep away from children and pets.
Native range
Great Britain and Ireland; western and southern Europe
Family
Ranunculaceae
Also known as
Helleborus foetidus
Genus
Helleborus
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Helleborus foetidus a UK native?
Yes, one of only two hellebores native to Britain, found wild on chalk and limestone in open woodland and scrub. Planting it is a small act of native gardening that happens to look thoroughly exotic.
Does the stinking hellebore actually smell?
Only if you bruise or crush the foliage, which releases an odd, meaty smell that earned the unfair name. Left alone in the border it is entirely inoffensive, and the flowers themselves carry no unpleasant scent.
When does it flower?
January to April, with buds often showing from midwinter. The pale green bells hold for weeks, and the purple-red rim on each bell rewards a close look.
Is it good for bees?
Genuinely important for them. It is an RHS Plants for Pollinators plant, and its nectar feeds queen bumblebees and other early insects that wake on mild winter days when almost nothing else is open.
Is it poisonous?
Yes, like all hellebores: harmful if eaten and a potential skin irritant, for people and pets. Animals avoid the bitter foliage; wear gloves when cutting back and keep it away from determined chewers.
Will it grow in dry shade, and does it self-seed?
Yes to both. Established plants handle dry shade under trees better than almost any winter-flowering perennial, and gentle self-seeding is how a colony keeps itself going, since individual plants are naturally short-lived. Let a few seedheads stand in late spring. Few plants for shade work this hard in winter.
Are your plants treated with pesticides?
We aim to avoid using pesticides where possible, but we can't control the whole supply chain.
If the plant is going into a vivarium, terrarium or aquarium with live animals, rinse the leaves and roots well, remove any soil and let the plant dry out before adding it. We'd also suggest keeping it away from animals for a month first.
Can I see a photo of the exact plant I'll receive?
We're not able to send photos of individual plants or let you choose a specific one, as plants are selected by our team when your order is packed. Our photos show the variety and the kind of plant you can expect, and yours may vary a little in height, shape or fullness.
If a size has a code next to it, such as 9cm / B2, you're buying the exact plant pictured.
Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.
It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.
If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.
If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.
That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.
Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.
When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.
We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.
Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.
It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.
Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.
Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.
During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.
That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.
The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.
Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Perfect for Gifting
From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.
Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.
Sustainability at Heart
All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.
9cm / 0.5L
