©Pennystone Gardens
Family
Ranunculaceae
Botanical Name
Hepatica nobilis
Plant Common Name
Common Hepatica
General Description
Native to woodland areas of Europe, North America and Japan, this diminutive perennial is one of the first flowers to emerge in early spring. Its small, starry, saucer-shaped blooms are composed of five to seven petal-like sepals, and may appear in shades of white, pink, blue, or violet-blue. They rise on short, fuzzy stems above low, semi-evergreen mounds of three-lobed, kidney-shaped leaves which have burgundy purple undersides. The subtle yet distinctive foliage remains attractive throughout the growing season and tends to adopt more purplish hues in cold weather. New foliage is produced in spring. Lots of natural variation exists in plants growing in disparate parts of the world.
Common hepatica prefers a partial shade setting and thrives in rich, moist, organic soils. Natural populations tend to grow in rocky, upland woods where soils are more calcareous. Foliage tends to be fuller in plants grown in brighter light. Variants with darker colored leaves tend to have more purple foliage and better winter color. Propagate this slow-growing plant by dividing in spring, or allow it to self sow. It looks beautiful planted in small drifts in naturalized woodlands or shaded rock gardens.
Two varieties exist in the wild. sharplobe hepatica (H. nobilis var. acuta) has more pointed foliage and naturally exists across eastern North America.
Roundlobe hepatica (H. nobilis var. obtusa) has leaves with more rounded lobes and has a similar natural distribution but extends a bit farther west. There are some differences in soil preference as well; roundlobe naturally exists in more acid soils while sharplobe can be found growing in more alkaline, or calcareous soils.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
8 - 3
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USDA Hardiness Zone
3 - 8
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Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Height
4"-6" / 10.2cm - 15.2cm
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Width
4"-6" / 10.2cm - 15.2cm
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Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter
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Native To
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada, Europe, Japan
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam
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Growth Rate
Slow
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Rosette/Stemless
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Seasonal Interest
Spring
