Anemone americana (Round-lobed Hepatica)
| Also known as: | Liverleaf, Liverwort |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Anemone |
| Family: | Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) |
| Life cycle: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Habitat: | part shade, sun; mixed upland woods |
| Bloom season: | April - May |
| Plant height: | 3 to 6 inches |
| Wetland Indicator Status: | none |
| MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
| National distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
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Detailed Information
Flower: 
![[photo of flower]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd/hepatica-americana-78465-1.jpg)
A single flower ½ to 1 inch across is at the end of a hairy leafless stalk. There are 5 to 12 petal-like sepals, usually 6, and numerous white stamens surrounding a green center. Petal color ranges from violet to white, sometimes pinkish. Behind the flower are 3 large hairy bracts each up to ½ inch long, oval to egg-shaped with a blunt or rounded tip. One plant has a tuft of a few to many flowers.
Leaves and stems:
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/blue/round-lobed-hepatica_0801_122601.jpg)
Leaves are up to 3 inches long and wide on a slender hairy stalk up to 6 inches long, and lobed in 3 parts of similar size, each lobe generally round to oval with a well-rounded tip. The leaves don't start opening up until the flowers bloom.
![[photo of 2-tone leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd/hepatica-americana-2-2.jpg)
Leaves are mostly solid green or 2-tone green through spring and summer, turn dark green or brown in fall and persist through the winter. They wither away when the plant starts blooming again the following spring.
Notes:
Hepaticas are among the first flowers to bloom in the spring. Sharp-lobed Hepatica and Round-lobed Hepatica have gone through a couple of name changes, at one time Hepatica acutiloba and H. americana respectively, and more recently considered different varieties of the same species, Hepatica nobilis var. acuta and var. obtusa respectively. Now they are different species again, in the Anemone genus, and closely related to the European species Anemone hepatica. The easiest way to differentiate Sharp-lobed from Round-lobed is—you guessed it—the round or pointed tips on leaves. The flowers are much the same and, while the tips of the bracts on Sharp-lobed may be more pointed than on Round-lobed, this can be subtle so is not necessarily a reliable distinction. Their ranges overlap significantly and may be found in the same habitat at the same time of year, though Round-lobed Hepatica may be found on drier sites in more acidic soils.
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More photos
Round-lobed Hepatica plant
hairy leaf stalks
more flowers
flowers together with leaves from previous season
Round-lobed Hepatica plant
hairy leaf stalks
more flowers
flowers together with leaves from previous seasonPhotos by K. Chayka taken at Wild River State Park, Chisago County, and Falls Creek SNA, Washington County. Photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk taken in Washington and Dakota counties.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2011-11-06 08:49:35
I have these growing in my yard near Pillager along the Crow Wing River. They are really nice Spring bloomers.
on: 2012-04-04 18:40:13
I have white ones blooming in my yard by the lake in north central Wisconsin
on: 2012-04-07 12:12:58
Saw several patches of these beauties in Jay Cooke State Park, near Duluth, on April 6
on: 2012-04-15 21:39:25
I have these growing all over my property -one of the first flowers.
on: 2012-04-24 21:09:58
These are my favorite spring wildflowers!! I was so happy to see them today growing along our lake path, both white and pale lavender ones. Hope to find some of the deeper purple ones too.
on: 2012-05-31 12:48:58
I saw a beautiful blue patch of these when hiking the Lost Forty on May 9.
on: 2013-06-10 20:57:40
I found several grouping of these flower (both purple and white) up by my cabin in the Brimson, MN area. So beautiful!
on: 2014-05-11 21:28:41
I saw a few of these and took a photo while going to my favorite trout lake in the Paul Bunyan State Forest on fishing opener weekend.
on: 2014-05-18 12:17:47
They are abundant in the Blackhoof WMA, Carlton County. Gorgeous.
on: 2014-05-22 11:15:56
This is the first time that we have seen these on our wooded property. Such a nice welcome to the warmer weather. I have the violet and white everywhere!
on: 2015-05-29 01:40:00
Only one plant that I have ever found in Leb. Hills Park--at Jensen Lake. Beautiful lavender flowers but gone so quickly!
on: 2015-10-30 16:38:24
We have them in and around our yard on the Snake River.
on: 2016-04-03 19:44:35
Found clusters of white at a little park off Hwy. 22 south of Mankato and then several groupings if pink, purple and white on the slopes oh Red Jacket trail. Trillion abounds in the same areas.
on: 2016-04-27 01:21:58
These Hepatica have been blooming for at least 2 weeks in our woods. Their color runs from almost white to a deep purple. They are so gorgeous against the brown, dull dead forest floor.
on: 2016-05-01 19:49:40
In full bloom!
on: 2016-05-17 12:09:11
Saw these blooming at the beginning of May in the Lost 40, sitting in a pool of sunshine on the forest floor.
on: 2016-05-19 10:55:53
These are just starting to bloom, we are a little behind this year because of the cold start to Spring.
on: 2017-04-10 14:41:03
We saw these blooming over the weekend at Wild River SP on the St. Croix!
on: 2017-05-04 19:02:49
Took a walk in some woods on a trail near Twin Valley, Mn. today after work and just happened to see some blooming. Have seen them in those same woods previous Springs to. Never knew what they were called until now.
on: 2017-05-07 14:38:56
What a joy to find these beautiful flowers...first time ever for me. I had been looking and then we found some along the Littlefork River in Koochiching County.
on: 2017-05-14 15:43:19
Saw on nice cluster of these on Mothers Day walk (2017) on Jacob Brower Trail between Douglas Lodge and visitor's center.
on: 2018-05-02 21:50:34
These are all over in the Oxbow Park.
on: 2019-05-11 15:56:29
hundreds of deep violet colored ones found today on our lake property.
on: 2019-05-18 11:33:13
May 16, on challenge trail. SW side of lake. Spring...finally... :0)
on: 2019-05-22 18:46:57
On our wooded property, near St Croix State Park. Lovely little white flowering plants. Beautiful leaves.
on: 2020-04-13 09:37:55
Hundereds of these, along with trillium, covering the blufftops.
on: 2020-04-20 11:35:09
within Wm O'Brien State Park, up the hill from Lake Alice, population starts about halfway up the hill. I saw them on 4/17/2020 but a friend saw them there on 4/11/2020 as well.
on: 2020-04-21 11:14:22
Smaller patch in the deeper purple color along the path on the West side of the park trail near a stream. So beautiful to see these beauties pushing up through last year's leaves on the forest floor.
on: 2020-04-26 14:36:38
One plant blooming in Baldwin Park along a wooded footpath.
on: 2020-04-27 11:17:11
Saw a lot of these on the forest floor of Whitewater State Park yesterday.
on: 2020-05-19 23:55:19
I have white Hepatica Americana growing in my wooded area in northeast Green Bay..
on: 2021-04-04 21:53:23
Blooming in the bluff woods, seem very abundant this year.
on: 2021-04-10 11:39:25
Found in Farmers Community Park, outside Stockton, MN
on: 2021-04-19 15:17:41
While cleaning up the yard I stumbled across a small patch of Hepatica spp. I have pics to share if interested. Very pretty little flowers. They made my day!
on: 2021-04-27 15:39:11
These are along the cannon river banks.. they are so beautiful..
on: 2021-04-28 14:04:24
Strange that I haven't noticed these before, but I have lots of them both white and purple blooming in my woods right now. Very pretty little flowers.
on: 2021-05-04 08:13:50
Abundant, started appearing diffusely on Zumbro River upland at end of April, still present May 4. Many hundreds. Striking, up close. In company with downy yellow violets.
on: 2021-12-04 18:19:13
There are many Sharp Lobbed Hipatica in Rice lake State Park.
on: 2022-04-23 21:22:20
Spotted April 23, leaping up through loamy leaf litter. Lovely!
on: 2022-05-09 17:29:51
Blooming in a lightly wooded area off my yard. Lovely little white blossoms, exactly as described above.
on: 2023-05-08 15:32:03
Lovely flowers in a wooded yard near our cabin. So pretty!!
on: 2023-08-05 20:43:47
Have seen this growing along the Paul Bunyan State Trail, and thought it was a really pretty green leaf. Even took some photos to identify in case I could add it to my native plants in my yard.
on: 2024-04-10 15:35:33
April 10th. Hepatica blooming already. The first wildflower of the year so far.