Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Share

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:
Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa (Roundlobe hepatica)
Sherman, Doug

Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa

Hepatica nobilis Schreb. var. obtusa (Pursh) Steyerm.

Roundlobe Hepatica, Round-lobed Hepatica, Liverleaf

Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)

Synonym(s): Anemone americana, Anemone hepatica, Hepatica americana, Hepatica hepatica, Hepatica triloba var. americana

USDA Symbol: HENOO

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Pink, white or purplish blossoms arise in early spring on fuzzy, 4-6 in. stems. The leaves, which grow from ground level on hairy stems after the flower has blossomed, are 3-lobed, rounded and evergreen until the following spring.

This is an early spring wildflower, usually with lavender flowers and 3-lobed leaves that persist throughout the winter. The Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. acuta), has more pointed leaf lobes and bracts. The genus name refers to the 3-lobed leaf that supposedly bears a resemblance to the liver. Because of this, early herbalists assumed the plant to be effective in treating liver ailments.

 

From the Image Gallery

23 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Achene
Size Notes: Up to about 6 inches tall.
Leaf: Variegated dark and light green. Deep red in fall and winter.
Autumn Foliage: yes
Flower: Flowers 1/2 to 1 inch across.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink , Blue , Purple
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Bloom Notes: Color ranges from white to pink to pale blue to lavender. An early spring bloomer.

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: MB , NB , NS , PE
Native Distribution: N.S. to Man., s. to n. FL, AL, & AR. Eastern North America, Zones 5 to 8.
Native Habitat: Rich, mesic to dry, deciduous, pine & sometimes spruce woods

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low , Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
Drought Tolerance: High
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Neutral to acidic soils, but prefers acidic. Prefers high humus.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Attractive foliage and delicate blooms for small garden spaces.
Use Wildlife: Winter browse
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Deer Resistant: No

Propagation

Propagation Material: Root Division , Seeds
Description: Seeds should be planted outside immediately after collection. In the Southeast, sow in fall. First-year seedlings will only have 2 leaves, but will expand after that. Seeds are hard to collect, so an alternate propagation method is fall division. Clumps, however, are slow to increase. When dividing a clump, it is best to leave 2-3 buds in each division.
Seed Collection: Approximate collection date in northern U.S.: Mid to late May.
Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 57 - Atlas of Florida Plants (2020) Institute for Systematic Botany
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-04
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back