Need help identifying what is probably a pretty easy plant

[NadiaP]

SmallPlant1.JPG (61.13 KiB) Viewed 1039 times

SmallPlant1.JPG (61.13 KiB) Viewed 1039 times

I just moved onto the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State and am trying to identify the tons of plants in my gardens. I can't for the life of me find this one, although it looks very familiar. Can anyone help?

[valley]

Not 100% sure that leaf looks like Lupin, what you think people?

Richard

[NadiaP]

Thanks, Richard. I looked up Lupine in my Western Garden book and can see what you mean about the leaves. The flower doesn't seem right to me though... the Lupine is tall and spiky and mine are round and droopy . I appreciate your input and hope that others might chime in as well!

[purpleinopp]

A closer pic of leaf and flower might help.

[NadiaP]

Someone thought they might be in the Pieris family, but I haven't found quite the right thing yet. Here are some more pictures of the flowers, the leaves, the plant (~ 2ft height and 3ft wide) and how the flower stalks come out of the main stalk. Any additional thoughts would be welcome.

IMG_2274.jpg (59.91 KiB) Viewed 996 times

IMG_2273.jpg (46.54 KiB) Viewed 996 times

[purpleinopp]

Those are great pics, not a plant I know. Someone should!

[pinksand]

How about a bearsfoot hellebore?

The flowers screamed hellbebore to me but the leaves look different than the varieties I'm familiar with. I searched for photos and the bearsfoot leaves looked like a match perhaps?

[NadiaP]

Yes! I think you are correct! I've just looked at a number of images on line and found the hellebore foetidus in my Western Garden book and it looks and sounds right. The leaves are pretty much spot on and the flowers match down to the "purplish margin". Thank you so much for solving this mystery .

[pinksand]

Wonderful! They're gorgeous healthy looking plants

[Zoinks]

Yep. Hellebore for sure, and nice big ones. Should be very happy in your zone.