Hi claysoil, this is one of the Pine Knot Farms strain. I bought a flat of them. This was the only one in the flat that had this foliage coloration/pattern. But I noticed other plants like it in other flats scattered throughout the greenhouse. I don't have any Elizabeth Town strain. I have what IMHO is a nice purple ... I will post a picture of it in the gallery here. And I have a dark red that I like, it looks like a rose in bud, but the flowers face down. Also, I just received a couple of Graham Birkin's "Quilty" strain and one was big enough to divide so I have an extra. And I bought an Ashwood Picotee which I divided, but I haven't seen it flower and to be honest I think they had been picked over last spring. And I bought a couple of the Pine Knot Farm's "variegated strain" and would trade one.

Thane, I'd be a bit suspect :-)) Flowering plants generally do not change their flower color. There are some exceptions - some cultivars will revert to species but they tend to be only one or two steps genetically removed from the species and various stressors can contribute to the reversion. Modern selection of Helleborus x hybridus are so heavily hybridized with so many genetic inputs it is difficult to identify clearly with any species parentage. When you see a dramatic change in flower color, it is most likely that seedlings or offspring have grown up and replaced the original plant. With the heavily hybridized hellebores, the seedlings could (and most often will) offer a very different appearance. Otherwise, a weak seed strain or just inferior hybridizing could result in flowers that are rather lackluster in appearance - there's a lot of them out there, unfortunately. Cultural factors could come into play as well - excessive sun can bleach out colors, soil pH may play a small role, excessive or improper fertilization, etc. You get the picture :-)) FWIW, I have mature clumps of x hybridus that have been in the ground for going on 20 years that have maintained their color exactly - the "blacks" remain black, slates continue to be slates, apricots are apricot and even spotted and picotees selections produce consistent flower colors year after year. If you buy quality plants from known hybridizers or recognized seed strains and grow them under proper conditions, the colors should stay true regardless of the age of the plant.

I love these perennials. Due to them being so poisonous, deer avoid them. They are not inexpensive but do survive. I thiink they are acid-loving. Mine are planted under a Southern Magnolia that is limbed up some, so they do get some sun, but also fairly shaded. Currently, have ones flowering that are purple, pink, and pale green. I think some of mine bloom in early Winter as well.

Okay, count me as someone who went down the deep, dark path to helleborus hell, and still doesn't quite understand all the ins and outs - but here is my experience. When I first started gardening @12 years ago, the horticulture industry loved having all the hellebores show up at the home shows which they would be having around this time (February) of the year. Usually some dusty pink variety, the pots would be in full bloom and they'd be charging $30-$40 a pop, and they'd be flying off the sales tables. I could never bring myself to pay that amount for them, but over the next few years I'd find some at lower prices, and introduce them to the garden. The clumps would establish really well - growing bigger every year. A few times I would worry I'd lose them, especially when they deck was being re-done and the clumps were being hacked in half - but they'd always rebound even bigger and better. After a few years, I began to realize not only were the clumps getting bigger - but there were now seedlings in play. I had no idea this was a thing. Not only that - began to watch a lot of YouTube videos on hellebores, and learned those seedlings are STRONG - the root systems of hellebores are not fragile at all, but wiry. I've now introduced whole bunches of different varieties of hellebores in recent years - and I honestly don't know which ones are "sterile" or not. But I've got enough to warrant a regular culling every year!