The snow rose, Christian rose and/or black Nieswurz (Helleborus the Niger) belong to the kind Nieswurz. Further names are Schneebleamal, and .

Description

The plant 10 to 30 cm largely and belonged to the few bloom plants, which flower in Central Europe very timely in the year (February until April). The bloom time can vary however depending upon snow situation substantially. So also Decembers can appear until May blooms.

The white or pink colored porcelain-similar blooms large up to 10 cm are formed by 5 remaining Their bloom color reaches from green, over white, pink one, red up to magenta, which they assume when withering. There is also sorts with speckled and scored petals well-known. They have a magnificent effect in groups, since their leaves and their blooms stand out then well against the winter garden. From that up to eight Fruchtknoten grown together down flat follicles with numerous seeds develop. Due to the very early bloom time a dusting is not always secured by bees. The snow rose adjusts this disadvantage by the fact that the scars much be enough to remain befruchtbar and in the most unfavorable case also the own Pollen for a self dusting (Autogamie) to take up be able.

The strong root stick is black.

Occurrence

The natural circulation area covers the eastern north and south alps (westward to Vorarlberg). Particularly frequently she is to be found in the lime alps and in the northern Apennin. It preferentially as location light mountain forests with nutrient-rich lime and chalk soils. It gets along however also with locations, which moistens and exhibits humose soils. The snow rose is to be found at a value of 1.850 m.

The Christian rose as garden plant

The Christian rose became already due to their early flowering time and its remarkable white blooms in 16. Century been in the Central European gardens to find. Konrad Gessner described already 1561 a form. The early introduction is to be attributed also to the fact that this plant in the Pflanzenheilkunde was used. Particularly in 19. Increasingly also breed sorts, which exhibited larger blooms and a more plentiful than the wild kind, developed for century. Multicolored sorts resulted from a crossing of the eastern Nieswurz resident in Turkey.

The Christian rose is a very grateful garden plant. To be avoided windy locations and too dry or pilotwet soils should.

Giftigkeit

The plant is very poisonous because of the bitter, strongly heart-effective Glykosids Hellebrin and the Saponins Helleborin. The symptoms swindles, failure and collapse resemble those a Herzglykosid Vergiftung.Weitere of poison materials are Saponine and Protoanemonin, which work primarily striking and mucous membrane-attractive. All plant parts are poisonous. The strongest Hellebrin concentration is however in the root stick, so that poisonings are observed rather rarely by snow roses.

Use in the Pflanzenheilkunde

The powder of the root was used in former times as sneezing powder (Schneebergers Schnupfpulver). The black-brown root sticks were used however also as heart means and urine-driving medicine. However 16 already pointed. and 17 in. Century of herb books on the Giftigkeit as well as on the danger of an overdosing of this plant.

In the people medicine the snow rose finds as Brech and exhausting means use.

Other

The snow rose applied because of their bloom at the "“holy time"” (= Christian celebration) as holy. One attributed special forces to her to drive e.g. bad spirit out and/or heal the plague.

The plant is protected.

Literature

• Heinz Dieter Krausch; Kaiserkron and red"… - Discovery and introduction of our garden flowers, and Galitz publishing house, Hamburg 2003, ISBN 3-935549-23-7

Related links

• To the Giftigkeit of the Christian rose

Articles in category "Snow rose"

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