Zone: Inner Walkway (The Kitchen Pharmacy)

Season of Interest: Late Winter to Early Spring (February – April)

The Doctor’s Notes (Medicinal Use)

In 19th-century medicine, Hellebores were treated with extreme caution. Dr. Woodward would have been aware of its potent, and often dangerous, properties:

• The "Melancholy" Cure: Historically, it was used in very minute doses to treat "mania" or severe depression, though its side effects often outweighed its benefits.

• Purgative Power: It was once used as a violent purgative and diuretic, though by the mid-1800s, many physicians were moving away from such harsh treatments in favor of gentler herbs.

• Topical Treatment: In some folk traditions, a tincture of the root was used to treat lice and skin parasites, though it had to be used carefully to avoid absorption into the bloodstream.

The Household Assistant (Homestead Use)

For the Woodward family, the Lenten Rose was more of a psychological balm than a physical one:

• The First Sign of Spring: Because it often blooms during Lent (hence the name), it provided a vital morale boost to the family after a long, grueling New England winter.

• Shade Specialist: It was perfectly suited for the darker corners of the museum's foundation, thriving where other flowers would wither.

• Evergreen Structure: The thick, leathery leaves stay green throughout the winter, providing year-round structure to the "Kitchen Pharmacy" beds.

Botanist’s Corner

• Form: A clump-forming perennial with thick, woody rhizomes.

• Foliage: Deep green, palm-shaped leaves with a leathery texture that can withstand freezing temperatures.

• Flowers: Feature nodding, cup-shaped blooms in shades of dusty rose, white, or speckled green. Interestingly, what look like "petals" are actually sepals (modified leaves), which is why the flowers last for several months without wilting.

Fun Fact:while it's called a "rose," it's actually a member of the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) family—a common point of confusion that Dr. Woodward might have enjoyed clarifying for his patients!