Hepatica acutiloba

Common Names

Sharp-Lobed Hepatica, Liverleaf

Summary

Sharp-Lobed Hepatica is a low, clump-forming semi-evergreen perennial with evergreen, three-lobed leaves that are often mottled and may turn russet red in autumn. Early-spring flowers appear on hairy stalks, usually white, pink, or pale lavender-purple, emerging before or with the new foliage. It prefers average to consistently moist, well-drained soil in shade to partial shade and naturalizes in shaded woodland settings; propagation is by division or seed, and the plant is slow to establish. Hardy in USDA zones 3–9, it grows about 3–6 inches tall and forms a modest groundcover; cultivate in humus-rich soil, tolerates chalk, clay, loam, or sand, and avoid pruning leaves in fall to nourish the plant through winter.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3-6 inches

Spread

6-8 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full shade to partial shade.

Soil Type

Humus-rich, well-drained loam soil that remains consistently moist.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained, loamy soil that is consistently moist, with high organic matter and no clay

Soil pH

6.8-7.2

Bloom Color

White, Pink, Purple, Blue

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Crimson, Purple, Red, Burgundy, Russet, Bronze, Brown

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow, 2–5 years to reach its ultimate height.

Seasons of Interest

Spring

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, Attracts flies