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Hepatica acutiloba or Hepatica nobilis Schreb. var. acuta (Sharp-lobed Hepatica)

Hepatica acutiloba or Hepatica nobilis Schreb. var. acuta (Sharp-lobed Hepatica)

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Sharp-lobed hepatica flowers early, close to the leaf litter, in shades of white, pink, or pale blue. Its three-pointed leaves remain through winter; give them a quiet spot with spring light and summer shade.

Sun exposure for Hepatica acutiloba: filtered spring sunlight; light summer shade. Soil conditions: moist, well-drained soil rich in humus. Recorded habitats include upland deciduous woods; Rocky bluffs and their slopes; Partly shaded limestone cliffs. Reported height: about 3–6 in.

Growth habit: spreads by reseeding itself. Root structure: fibrous roots. Choose neighboring plants with compatible light and moisture needs, and allow space for their mature growth.

Plant specifications & ecological relationships

Key growing facts

Sunlight Filtered spring sunlight; light summer shade
Soil moisture Moist, well-drained soil rich in humus
Height About 3–6 in
Bloom season Early to mid-spring
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
Growth habit Spreads by reseeding itself
Root form Fibrous roots
Soil pH Published cultivation guidance lists neutral soil conditions; no optimal numeric interval is established.
Cultivation hardiness zones Zones 3a–7b (general cultivation guidance)
Deer browsing Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible.

Plant identification & seed reference

Botanical name Hepatica acutiloba
Other common names sharp-lobed hepatica; Mountain Hepatica; Sharp-leaved Hepatica; Sharp-lobed Hepatica; Sharp-lobed Liverleaf; Sharplobe Hepatica
Plant family Ranunculaceae

Planting, growth & seasonal care

Flowering season: early to mid-spring. Use this timing when planning seasonal interest with the other plants in the bed.

Browsing guidance: Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible.

Use the selected product option to confirm the supply format and quantity. For a mixed planting, calculate the order from the actual species and layout; a plant’s mature height alone does not determine a seed rate or plug spacing.

Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associates

Other documented plant associations

These records connect Hepatica acutiloba with other plants named in woodland accounts. Each entry keeps the location and habitat described by its source.

How to read this list: a named association, membership in a sampled forest section, and membership in a regional community type are different kinds of evidence. None guarantees that the plants grew side by side or will be suitable together in every garden. This is the verified catalog-linked portion of the reviewed records, not a complete inventory.

Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value

State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.

Wetland indicator — Corps Chicago 2017 table UPL
C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 8
Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 Yes
Native range — U.S. states Alabama; Arkansas; Connecticut; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kentucky; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; New Hampshire; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Tennessee; Vermont; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin
County nativity Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity.

Regional assessment notes

This taxon is native to parts of the United States. Flora of the Chicago Region (2017) also records this taxon as native in the Chicago region.

For this range, WCVP treats Hepatica acutiloba as Hepatica americana var. acuta.

These records describe botanical distribution. They do not establish county occurrence or suitability for every site; an unlisted state is not proof of absence.

Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlifeNo verified list yet

No additional named relationships have been verified for this listing.

Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions

What are the ideal growing conditions for Sharp-lobed Hepatica?
Light: Filtered spring sunlight; light summer shade. Soil moisture: Moist, well-drained soil rich in humus.

Is Sharp-lobed Hepatica deer and herbivore resistant?
Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.

When should I expect Sharp-lobed Hepatica to bloom?
Typical flowering period: Early to mid-spring. Timing varies with location and weather.

Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes

Native range & ecological ratings: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), via Universal FQA; USACE Chicago FQA (2017); Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online.

Growing conditions & other references: Illinois Wildflowers, John Hilty; USDA Forest Service: Pavek — Hepatica nobilis var. acuta; NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.

Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.

Research notes & credits

USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication.

U.S. state nativity: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 4 June 2026 release, under Hepatica americana var. acuta. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; CC BY 3.0. Native records selected; introduced, doubtful and extinct records excluded. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data; no endorsement is implied. State nativity is separate from Chicago-region nativity, county occurrence and the origin of nursery stock.

Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.

Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.

Plant Shipping & Care

We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.

As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.

 

Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories

  • Website orders: Seed, plugs and bare-root plants offered for shipping are shipped to your address. Shipping charges are calculated at checkout.
  • Container trees and shrubs: Some #3 and #5 container options are offered for scheduled pickup only. Check the selected product option and the cart pickup instructions before ordering. Pickup and shipped items require separate orders where indicated in the cart.
  • Wholesale orders: Delivery and pickup are arranged separately according to the order, supplier yard and location. Wholesale pickup is free.
  • Pickup locations and dates are confirmed by email. Please wait for confirmation before traveling to a pickup site. Our offices are not retail stores or nursery pickup locations.

 

Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready

We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.

Wholesale Orders

  • Shipped or are Ready For Pick Up As Requested.

 

Retail & Website Orders

  • Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
  • Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
  • Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
  • If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months. 
  • Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
  • Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
  • If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready.  In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments 
  • Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability.  We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish.  If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date.  If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
  • Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
  • Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.

Where We Ship

 

 

        What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery

        • Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
        • We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.

         

           Shipments

          • Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.

           

           

          What to Do With Your Plants After  Receiving Your Delivery

          • Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
          • Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
          • Water your plants
          • Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
          • If you cannot install your plants immediately
            • Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
            • Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
            • Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
            • No additional fertilizer is needed
          How to install native plugs
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