In its native habitat, the Christmas rose flowers from December through April, the season when snow is escaping leaving open spots for the first spring makers to grow, each clump producing groups of 2 or 3 large nodding flowers. H. niger in early summer. H. niger produces a floral stalk but no true leafy stems. The leaves are basal, persistent, alternate, palmately cleft, with long petioles. They consist of 7-9 leaflets which are dark green, shiny, tough, narrow and lanceolate.
Rootstock is short, black.
Fruit is a follicle. Gardening Christmas rose is cultivated as an ornamental garden plant in temperate climates. It is a durable, cold-hardy shrub thriving in partially shaded, moist situations in good soil. For use as Christmas decoration Christmas roses are propagated both for potted plant and cut flower production. It is often found in the shade of spruce, birch, oak and beech forests.