Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)
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Hiking through the woods at the end of March, the browns that existed in the fall have all faded to gray. Here and there, moss peeks out from under leaves still undecomposed. Then suddenly, sky blue or piercing white flowers, the first of the season! Pulling leaves aside you will also see the almost spent leaves of the hepatica plant.
Hepatica is not a true ephemeral because the leaves last through the winter, often turning a dark green to a brownish-red color. With leaves out throughout the winter they can photosynthesize whenever they aren’t covered in snow. Maybe this is why they bloom so early. The leaves wither away just as the flowers begin to bloom. Once the flowers begin to fade, new leaves push up and unfurl, shiny and fresh-colored.
Michigan Flora keeps these plants in the Hepatica genus, so I will refer to them this way. They are in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, and have recently been put in the Anemone genus because of a phylogenetic study. Hepatica acutiloba is sharp-lobed hepatica. They have a point on each leaf lobe. Round-lobed hepatica is a different species.
Hepatica takes two years to germinate. This is called double dormancy, meaning the seeds need a cold period, warm period and another cold period in the moist soil. When seeds germinate and emerge they spend the first year as two cotyledons (embryonic leaves which are the first to emerge.
The second year, the plants will have two regular leaves, doubling to four the next year. They are very slow growing. So, if you see a big mass of leaves or flowers, that plant has likely been around for a long while. Both blooms and leaves are covered in soft hairs as they emerge.
Both species of Hepatica have leaves with three lobes. They are named Hepatica (latin, meaning: of or pertaining to the liver) because of their resemblance to the human liver which is also lobed.
Blooms range in color from white to lavender, sometimes pink, to a dark sky blue. There are usually 6 petals and behind them three green bracts (modified leaf). After pollination, seeds form in the center of the flower and drop off into the soil. Seedlings are often found around the base of the mother plant.
Bees and flies visit the flowers but they will not find nectar, only pollen. Illinois Wildflowers mentions that chipmunks may eat the seeds.
Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)
Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Sharp-lobed Hepatica
height: 8 inches
bloom time: April-May
soil: medium, rich
sun: partial, shade
flower: white, blue, pink
plant spacing: 6”
life cycle: perennial
family: Ranunculaceae
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Hiking through the woods at the end of March, the browns that existed in the fall have all faded to gray. Here and there, moss peeks out from under leaves still undecomposed. Then suddenly, sky blue or piercing white flowers, the first of the season! Pulling leaves aside you will also see the almost spent leaves of the hepatica plant.
Hepatica is not a true ephemeral because the leaves last through the winter, often turning a dark green to a brownish-red color. With leaves out throughout the winter they can photosynthesize whenever they aren’t covered in snow. Maybe this is why they bloom so early. The leaves wither away just as the flowers begin to bloom. Once the flowers begin to fade, new leaves push up and unfurl, shiny and fresh-colored.
Michigan Flora keeps these plants in the Hepatica genus, so I will refer to them this way. They are in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, and have recently been put in the Anemone genus because of a phylogenetic study. Hepatica acutiloba is sharp-lobed hepatica. They have a point on each leaf lobe. Round-lobed hepatica is a different species.
Hepatica takes two years to germinate. This is called double dormancy, meaning the seeds need a cold period, warm period and another cold period in the moist soil. When seeds germinate and emerge they spend the first year as two cotyledons (embryonic leaves which are the first to emerge.
The second year, the plants will have two regular leaves, doubling to four the next year. They are very slow growing. So, if you see a big mass of leaves or flowers, that plant has likely been around for a long while. Both blooms and leaves are covered in soft hairs as they emerge.
Both species of Hepatica have leaves with three lobes. They are named Hepatica (latin, meaning: of or pertaining to the liver) because of their resemblance to the human liver which is also lobed.
Blooms range in color from white to lavender, sometimes pink, to a dark sky blue. There are usually 6 petals and behind them three green bracts (modified leaf). After pollination, seeds form in the center of the flower and drop off into the soil. Seedlings are often found around the base of the mother plant.
Bees and flies visit the flowers but they will not find nectar, only pollen. Illinois Wildflowers mentions that chipmunks may eat the seeds.
Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)
Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Sharp-lobed Hepatica
height: 8 inches
bloom time: April-May
soil: medium, rich
sun: partial, shade
flower: white, blue, pink
plant spacing: 6”
life cycle: perennial
family: Ranunculaceae
Hiking through the woods at the end of March, the browns that existed in the fall have all faded to gray. Here and there, moss peeks out from under leaves still undecomposed. Then suddenly, sky blue or piercing white flowers, the first of the season! Pulling leaves aside you will also see the almost spent leaves of the hepatica plant.
Hepatica is not a true ephemeral because the leaves last through the winter, often turning a dark green to a brownish-red color. With leaves out throughout the winter they can photosynthesize whenever they aren’t covered in snow. Maybe this is why they bloom so early. The leaves wither away just as the flowers begin to bloom. Once the flowers begin to fade, new leaves push up and unfurl, shiny and fresh-colored.
Michigan Flora keeps these plants in the Hepatica genus, so I will refer to them this way. They are in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, and have recently been put in the Anemone genus because of a phylogenetic study. Hepatica acutiloba is sharp-lobed hepatica. They have a point on each leaf lobe. Round-lobed hepatica is a different species.
Hepatica takes two years to germinate. This is called double dormancy, meaning the seeds need a cold period, warm period and another cold period in the moist soil. When seeds germinate and emerge they spend the first year as two cotyledons (embryonic leaves which are the first to emerge.
The second year, the plants will have two regular leaves, doubling to four the next year. They are very slow growing. So, if you see a big mass of leaves or flowers, that plant has likely been around for a long while. Both blooms and leaves are covered in soft hairs as they emerge.
Both species of Hepatica have leaves with three lobes. They are named Hepatica (latin, meaning: of or pertaining to the liver) because of their resemblance to the human liver which is also lobed.
Blooms range in color from white to lavender, sometimes pink, to a dark sky blue. There are usually 6 petals and behind them three green bracts (modified leaf). After pollination, seeds form in the center of the flower and drop off into the soil. Seedlings are often found around the base of the mother plant.
Bees and flies visit the flowers but they will not find nectar, only pollen. Illinois Wildflowers mentions that chipmunks may eat the seeds.
Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)
Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Sharp-lobed Hepatica
height: 8 inches
bloom time: April-May
soil: medium, rich
sun: partial, shade
flower: white, blue, pink
plant spacing: 6”
life cycle: perennial
family: Ranunculaceae
