Hellebore - a mystical flower of Balkan mountains

        In the morning walking  with our dogs in the oak woods of the Kosmaj mountain we found three light green flowers. It was the legendary hellebore which rose to the February sun among old brown leaves and dry frozen grass. Hellebore is widely spread in the Balkan mountains, however it is not easy to find these wild flowers.

       Hellebore  is one of the most  mystical plants. It is well known from ancient epochs as a poisonous plant which can kill or cure. In medicine two kinds of hellobore were used: the black one which could be used for curing paralysis and madness,  and the white one which 

probably was used by Hippocrates.

       As an ancient legend says hellebore is a powerful plant and was able to summon demons. Its other name is “Christmas rose”, as it bloomed   in the snow  melted by tears of a young girl who cried because she had nothing to give as a present to baby Christ in Bethlehem.

       According to another legend Alexander the Great died because of an overdose of hellebore which he used as a medicine.