Description
Hepatica –
There are about 10 species of small, spring forming perennials, in this genus. They occur in woodland in North America, Europe, and temperate Asia.. They have usually liver shaped, 3 to 5 lobed, simple or toothed, dark green, basal leaves,, often purple beneath, sometimes marbled silver or white. The solitary, bowl to star shaped flowers usually open before the leaves have fully developed. They have brightly colored, petal-like sepals with an involucre of 3 leaf like bracts immediately beneath them. Suitable for a shady site in a rock or woodland garden.
Grow in humus rich moist but well drained, neutral to alkaline soil in partial shaped, Hepaticas thrive in heavy soils. Divide in spring.
Prone to rust, leaf smut, snails and slugs.
H. nobilis var. japonica – Anemone hepatica var. japonica – H. triloba var. japonica – This slow growing, semi evergreen, dome shaped perennial from Europe grows 4″ tall and 6″ wide. It produces rounded, or liver shaped, mid green leaves, 1 1/4-2 ½” long, with 3 rounded, smooth edged lobes, silky hairy and purple tinted beneath. In early spring, mainly before the leaves it bears solitary, bowl shaped, white, pink, blue, or blue-purple flowers, to 1″ across, each with 6 or 7 sepals. Plants are poisonous.
Zones 5-8
