The Fascinating Christmas Rose: Helleborus niger

Helleborus niger 'Josef Lemper'

I have scoured the garden literature of the 20th and 21st centuries to bring forth for the holidays some tidbits about Helleborus niger, the Christmas Rose.  I did this realizing that it might possibly lead me down one or two or more rabbit holes where securing the keys to escape might involving purchasing a few more old gardening books.

This did indeed turn