For the horticulture crew here at the zoo, the winters are LONG. We spend the season removing snow from the pathways so keepers can safely tend to animals throughout the park and salting icy patches so guests don’t lose their footing on their way to the snow leopards. To say we miss our plants during these frosty months is an understatement. You can probably imagine us peeking through the melting snow for the first signs of life as winter draws to a close.

One of the first flowers to emerge from the frozen ground is the hellebore. Often known as the “Christmas rose” or “Lenten rose” because of their extremely early bloom time, these showy pastel groupings of tall flowers are my favorite sign that spring is near. As early as February, I begin to check the centers of the hellebores’ thick leaf groupings, hoping to see dark, purple buds. It’s amazing how quickly the flower stalks grow tall and sturdy despite the harsh February and March weather. Depending on the cultivar, I know that I can expect a dramatic spray of soft, buttercup shaped flowers in shades of purple ranging from the lightest lavender to the deepest raisin.

If these incredible blooms look unfamiliar to you, there is a good reason: the flowers of the hellebore face downward! If you happen to see a horticulturist lying on their back with a camera in hand, you can bet that we are trying to capture these plants in all of their shy beauty!

As the weather breaks at the end of March and into early April, make sure to visit the zoo to view these rare beauties in person. There is a stand of hellebores to your immediate left as you enter the zoo (just before the penguin habitat), in addition to several plants growing near Frontier Town. Finding these flowers will make a great plant scavenger hunt for your next zoo adventure!