Black hellebore

The name of this plant refers to the color of its dark roots, not its flowers, which are white and tinged with pink. Appearing in winter, the blossoms bring color and the promise of spring to gardens in colder climates. The roots, stems, and leaves of this evergreen are poisonous—in Greek, hellebore translates as “food to injure.” Despite its toxicity, concoctions made from the plant were administered by medieval physicians in small doses as a cleansing aid; such medicinal uses continued into the 19th century.