Sharp-lobed Hepatica
Hepatica acutiloba
One of the first wildflowers of late winter, blooming through leaf litter in white, pink, lavender, or blue. Furry sepals shield the buds from frost.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
One of the first wildflowers to bloom. white, pink, or lavender flowers in late winter before the leaves emerge, a genuinely rare and beautiful early-spring experience.
Sharp-lobed Hepatica is one of the first wildflowers to push through the leaf litter in late winter, often blooming while snow is still on the ground. The flowers open before the leaves emerge: white, pink, lavender, or blue petals surrounding a cluster of yellow stamens, creating a quietly stunning display at ground level in the leafless woodland. Furry sepals protect the buds from frost so the plant can bloom as early as February. The three-lobed, leathery leaves persist through summer and into winter, slowly bronzing as the weather cools. It grows slowly and deliberately, forming a small clump over years rather than spreading aggressively. A plant for patient gardeners who value rarity, seasonality, and the particular pleasure of finding early spring color at the base of a tree before anything else has stirred.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown sharp-lobed hepatica propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Part sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 3–6 in · 6–10 in wide
- Bloom time
- February–April
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America. rich, moist deciduous woods, often on calcareous soils, from Nova Scotia to Minnesota south to Georgia and Missouri
Care notes for sharp-lobed hepatica.
Plant in partial to full shade in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. preferably slightly alkaline or near neutral pH. Hepatica does best in calcareous (limestone-based) soils if available. Water consistently during the growing season. Divide only when absolutely necessary as it strongly resents disturbance. The old leaves persist through winter; leave them as mulch. Extremely slow-growing. be patient and don't expect dramatic results in the first two seasons.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside sharp-lobed hepatica.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.