Description
This superb and still very rare colour form is a true clone raised only by vegetative division of the original plant and never from seed. Seedlings are not entitled to the name.
Helleborus atrorubens Mazarine was originally received as a sample “dark blue form” from Leon Doyen in the Netherlands who in turn collected several extreme colour forms of the species at Zumbaraic, in Croatia. Mazarine of course refers to the dark metallic-blue colour of the exterior of the flowers (and not to the girl’s name). Viewed by transmitted light, they are, like all Helleborus, less dark and more green, but in the garden, in normal viewing conditions, this is one of the very darkest and intense colours.
Leon Doyen collected many other interesting plants when he was in former Yugoslavia not only notable Helleborus forms all were found originally over Serpentine rocks.
mazzarine mazrine