Sharplobe Hepatica
Growth habit
Herbaceous
Perennation
Long-lived polycarpic perennial
Native distribution
Eastern North America
Location
Source of plant
Unknown
Description
Hepatica nobilis is a small evergreen herb found growing in rich woodlands from Minnesota to Maine to Northern Florida west to Alabama. The flowers are most commonly blue or lavender, although white forms may be common locally, especially in southern areas, and there may be various shades of pink. Each flower comes up from the ground on its own stem, which is covered by long fine hairs and is several inches tall. What appear to be the petals are technically the sepals and three bracts surround each flower. The number of sepals on each flower usually varies between six and twenty. Occasionally, complete double forms are found. Older plant form clumps with twenty to thirty or more flowers. The flowers open their fullest on sunny days and the floral display lasts for several weeks. After the petals fall the new leaves emerge, each one at first neatly furled, then shiny and bright fresh green as they first open, then darkening as they mature. The leaves are heart shaped at the base and have three lobes. Some variations of the species may have speckled leaves or may be maroon on the undersides. Over the winter, the leaves darken even more and are hardly noticeable.
USDA Hardiness Zone
3