What is the legend of Melampus?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

March 10, 2003

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Lenten rose is a name applied to Helleborus orientalis Lamarck, a plant native to Macedonia, Thrace, and Asia Minor. The common name refers to its bloom time and to differentiate it from the Christmas rose or Christe Herbe (Helleborus niger Linnaeus), a name given according to Gerard, because the plants "floureth about Christmasse..." Hellebores often bloom in snow.

Hellebore is an ancient Greek name. In Gerard's day, hellebore was applied to at least six plants; two are obviously what we consider hellebores. These, Gerard called "black hellebor", dividing them
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Helleborus Lady Collection Also known as the Lenten rose, Helleborus is great for beginner gardeners. Growing 14-18'' high with a similar clumping spread, these carefree plants will multiply annually. Pest and disease free, helleborus prefer rich, slightly alkaline soil but are well adapted to a wide range of evenly moist soils. Plant in partial to full shade and space plants about 18" apart. For best results, choose a protected site out of drying winds. Helleborus is winter hardy in Zones 4-9 and can survive in Zone 3 in a sheltered site with reliable snow cover.

Helleborus reseeds readily. For more plants, simply collect the seedlings and replant them to a new location while they are still small. Mature plants may be divided in the spring or fall.

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into "true" and "wilde".

According to Lewis and Elvin-Lewis, Helleborus "contain cardiac glycosides that cause violent purging (diarrhea), delirium, convulsions, and death from respiratory failure. The main cardiac stimulant is hellebrin." (Medical Botany, Plants Affecting Man's Health, 1977, Wiley and Sons)

The black hellebores were used for what in Gerard's day, 1597, was called madness. "Black Hellebor purgeth...flegme, choler (anger believed caused by over-production of bile), and melancholy especially, and all melancholy humors, yet not without trouble and difficultie: therefore it is not to be given but to robustious and strong bodies....Hellebor is good for mad and furious men...."

Apparently it was long-standing medical tradition to treat depression or psychiatric problems with violent toxins. Black hellebore's traditional use, Gerard related back to Dioscorides (1st century) who credited the discovery to the ancient legend of "Melampos...first thought to purge therewith Proetus his mad daughters, and to restore them to health." (The Herbal, 1633 edition)

Legend says the daughters of King Proetus and the other women of Argos were seized with madness. The men ran down the women and Melampus treated them by purification, the rite of cleansing the body by purging. The surviving women were 'cured'. For this, Melampus and his brother, Bias, were given the daughters of Proetus and two-thirds the kingdom of Argos.

Missouri Botanical Gardens has gardening help and photographs (scroll down) of Lenten rose, Helleborus orientalis. To view the flower, click on the link:

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=D100

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Unique Professionally Designed Gardens

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Spring Hill Nursery has unique gardens professionally designed by experts to take the guesswork out of gardening. Whether you are looking for a three season garden, foundation garden, or a garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, Spring Hill Nursery has created a step-by-step design just for you. Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Royal Helleborus Mix

Springhill Nursery®

What a wonderful way to begin the perennial bloom season. Also known as the Lenten rose, Royal Helleborus Mix adds a burst of color to the late winter, early spring landscape.

Flower Color: Purple, red, near black, white, green, pink or yellow.

This easy-to-grow mix features foliage that looks good all season long. Terrific for shaded borders and woodland gardens.

Long-lived plants grow 15-18" high with a similar spread. Perfect best in moist, fertile soil.

Shipped in 3" pot. Deer tend to avoid. Helleborus orientalis Zone 4 to 9

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Maki Dahlia

Breck's Bulbs®

Maki is the most astonishing decorative dahlia we offer, with enormous blooms measuring up to 10" in diameter. Light pink blooms are enhanced by dark pink streaks. Deliver an abundance of lateseason flowers that last for up to two weeks. Pick just one of these flamboyant blooms to create an instant bouquet. #1 clumps.

Light: Sun to Partial Shade
Height: 3-4’
Bloom Time: Summer to Frost
Zone : 3 – 10

Deer Resistant.

Lift in fall if you live in Zones 3-7.

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Barlow Columbine Mix

Breck's Bulbs®

A must for every flower arranger! Masses of nodding flowers in red, blue, pink and black hang gracefully from tall stems complemented by handsome, lobed leaves. Each uniquely shaped bloom is comprised of layer upon layer of petals, much like a dahlia. Carefree plants return year after year, adding old-fashioned charm to cottage gardens, traditional borders and flower arrangement. Blooms can last 3 to 4 weeks! Space #1 plants 2-3' apart in sun or partial shade. Grows 34-36" and blooms mid to late spring. Zones 3-9. Aquilegia vulgaris Free $25 off any order of $50 or more at Brecks Bulbs

Foxglove, Mixed

Springhill Nursery®

Digitalis purpurea - Outstanding in early summer borders. Towering stalks, up to 4' tall, are covered with bell-shaped florets in a mix of bright colors. Hummingbirds can't resist the Mixed Foxglove! Fast-growing biennial plants are resistant to most pests and diseases. Beautiful in woodland gardens, cottage gardens and borders. Space 2-3' apart.

#1 Field-Grown Plants. Deer tend to avoid. Zone 4 to 10 Click here for $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Variegated Weigela

Springhill Nursery®

Bird lovers, this flowering shrub is for you! Gracefully arching shrub boasts densely clustered, 1" funnel-shaped pink blooms which are especially attractive to hummingbirds. Flowering lasts from late spring into fall. The foliage is as distinctive as the pink flowers; its oval leaves are variegated - green edged with creamy white.

This outstanding shrub will be a charming addition to any home environment, but is especially well-suited to withstand city conditions; and its compact size (4-6' high with a 5' spread) fits most urban landscapes.

Hardy. Pest and disease resistant. Requires only a minimum of care to yield years of beauty. Superb as a solo specimen, or plant two or more together to create a colorful hedge. Space plants 5' apart. Shipped in 4" pots. Zone 4 to 9

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Three-Seasons of Beauty Garden

Springhill Nursery®

We asked our garden experts at Spring Hill to take a typical 12'x12' bed and show how it could be planted with perennials and shrubs to provide a continuous display of floral and foliage color from spring, all through summer, and until the hard frosts of fall-and here's the impressive result! It's an easy-to-adapt idea that will give any area of approximately 140 sq. ft. (10'x14') around your home a truly professional look-with a minimum of work and without a serious drain on your pocketbook.

This spectacular parade of color starts in spring and continues all through summer and into the fall. The Fantasia Mums are not like regular Cushion Mums you buy from local garden centers, which die off after flowering.

The Fantasia Mums are extra free-flowering and sufficiently hardy to come back again each year. The shrubs in this selection are also special-a Variegated Weigela for color that starts in spring and continues all season, a Forever Pink Dwarf Hydrangea for summer, and a Dwarf Burning Bush that colors-up in autumn.

SPRING: This Three-Seasons Garden doesn't wait for summer to produce beautiful color. Blooming begins in spring with the gorgeous pink blossoms of Variegated Weigela, followed by Poker Primrose and Pink Dwarf Bleeding Heart.

SUMMER: All summer long, your Three-Seasons Garden will be alive with the colorful blooms of Daylilies, Black Eyed Susans, Pink Mist Scabiosa, Orange Glory Flowers, Blue Butterfly Delphinium and Forever Pink Dwarf Hydrangea, adding their floral beauty to the interesting assortment of foliage textures which will enhance any setting.

FALL: The color parade of your Three-Seasons Garden doesn't stop when tinges of fall fill the air. Three different varieties of Fantasia Mums will provide multitudes of colorful blooms week after week all autumn long, augmented by the dramatic red foliage of your Dwarf Burning Bush.

1 Garden includes 30 prime quality perennials.

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