The liverwort catches the eye with its blue flowers in the still barren spring landscape. We present the most beautiful varieties and give tips on location and care.
In addition to the common hepatica (Hepatica nobilis), which is native to us, there are other species and varieties in a wide variety of colors. We will briefly present the most beautiful variants and show you what should be considered when caring for liverworts.
Liverwort profile: flowering time, origin and characteristics
Hepaticas (Hepatica) belong to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) and are widespread throughout Europe. As is typical for all buttercup plants, the liverwort is slightly poisonous. The plant was formerly assigned to the anemone genus, at that time it was also known as Anemone hepatica. Nowadays, however, this name is no longer valid.
Hepaticas bloom from mid-February to April and are therefore early bloomers that sprout from the ground while many other plants are still dormant. Like most early bloomers, including the well-known wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa), the liverwort is a spring geophyte. As such, it has subterranean renewal buds that help it sprout right after the cold season when there is still enough light on the ground through the bare trees.
The liverworts, which are up to 15 cm high, are usually found in sparse deciduous forests on calcareous subsoil, but the small perennial is also becoming increasingly popular in the garden. The petals glow blue-violet and are a real eye-catcher together with the white-red stamens. Some varieties also have white or pink flowers. If the liverwort multiplies by self-sowing, veritable carpets of flowers can develop. Hepaticas not only delight us humans, but also numerous insects that can help themselves to their pollen.
The most beautiful types and varieties of liverworts
Besides the ordinary or three-lobedHepatica (Hepatica nobilis) and the Transylvanian liverwort (Hepatica transsilvanica) there are still a few hepatica varieties and varieties in different colors, but by no means all are in horticultural use.
Hepatica nobilis: The common liverwort, which can also be found in some sparse deciduous forests, flowers blue-purple, rarely too pink or white. It has five to ten petals, but mostly six. The leaves are entire and three-lobed.
Hepatica transsilvanica: In contrast to the common liverwort, the Transylvanian liverwort has a notched leaf edge. The stamens are also blue. This species is mainly found in Romania and is not found in our forests.
Hepatica nobilis 'Alba': A garden variety with white flowers is the cultivar Hepatica nobilis'Alba'. It is therefore also called white-flowered liverwort.
Hepatica nobilis 'Rubra Plena': This cultivar has pink, double flowers that appear particularly gorgeous and are very eye-catching.
Hepatica nobilis 'Pink Forest': The pink flowers of this variety are not double, but are similar in shape to the flowers of the Common Hepatica.
Hepatica nobilis var. pyrenaica: This variety is also known as Pyrenean Hepatica and, as the name suggests, occurs in the French and Spanish Pyrenees. In addition to the pale violet flowers, the mottled leaves are particularly striking.
Plant liverworts: location, soil and co.
The blue liverwort grows mainly in sparse forests in the shade of the trees. It loves warmth and prefers calcareous, loamy soils. If you want to plant liverworts in the garden, you can use the natural forest location as a guide.
Like most early bloomers, Hepatica is best planted in the fall between September and October. Sowing should also take place in autumn,because it is a cold germ. This means that exposure to a longer cold period is necessary for the seed to germinate. The location should be semi-shady, as the liverwort grows in the forest, but sprout there before the trees have formed any leaves. The perennial prefers a nutrient-rich, loamy and humus-rich soil with a neutral to alkaline pH range. Lime can be helpful if the soil is too acidic. The ideal location is permeable and always fresh or moist in the cooler months without waterlogging. The liverwort can also be kept in the balcony box or pot. The larger the planter is, the more impressive the flowers of the liverwort will be in the end.
Our Plantura organic potting soil, for example, is suitable as a high-quality substrate, as it does not require peat and thus makes a contribution to climate protection. The minerals it contains promote soil life and flower formation. The mixture contains crushed expanded clay to maintain high structural stability, while compost provides a long-term basic supply of essential nutrients.
Since the liverwort does not grow particularly large, large planting distances do not have to be maintained. You can plant the plants in small or large groups of 10 to 20 specimens. If you want the liverwort to spread, there should be enough space for offspring in the area.
Tip: If the liverwort is planted under deciduous trees, falling leaves can simply be left lying around. These protect the delicate plants from drying out and the cold.
Hepatica care: this is important
Hepatica is a fairly undemanding plant that does not require much care in the right location.
Water the liverworts correctly
Hepatica needs water mainly from autumn to spring. Most of the time, however, the necessary water requirement is already provided by the rain. Foliage will appear after flowering, so after flowering the soil should continue to be kept moist. Liming: The liverwort prefers a neutral to alkaline location. Since many substrates and garden soils tend to be slightly acidic, occasional liming is recommended. Lime increases the pH of the soil to give liverworts an optimal location. However, one should be careful not to lime too much. Depending on the initial condition of the soil andLime form varies the amount to use.
Fertilize Hepatica
Fertilization is recommended, especially in spring, to ensure a small growth spurt. The fertilizer should not be worked into the soil, as the liverwort is quite sensitive to disturbances in the root area. Fertilization is recommended every two weeks from March, especially when kept in pots, so that the nutrient-consuming plant is adequately supplied. In order not to disturb the liverwort here either, it is best to use an organic liquid fertilizer, for example our Plantura organic flower & balcony fertilizer. This not only ensures beautiful flowers and strong root growth, but also protects the environment with its natural and animal-free ingredients. The spreading of nettle manure is also suitable for the plants in the bed.
Pruning and Hibernation
The liverwort is hardy and does not need pruning. However, if you keep the plant in a pot, you should place the container in a sheltered place during long periods of frost, as the pot cannot provide adequate protection from the cold. As a native wild perennial, a rather cold overwintering in a shed or garage is much he althier for the plant than overwintering indoors.
Tip: Hepaticas are very sensitive to disturbance and do not like transplanting. If you decide to transplant the plant, it will take a few years for it to recover.
Propagating Hepatica
In favorable locations, liverworts reproduce independently with the help of ants. If you still want to lend a hand yourself, you can sow seeds or divide the plants. However, since the liverwort does not tolerate any disturbance, it can happen that the plant does not sprout again after division.
If you want to sow, you can either use purchased seeds or collect the liverwort seeds from the plants yourself. Seed ripening takes place after the flowering period, i.e. between May and June. After the harvest, the seed should then be spread on potting soil, lightly pressed and moistened. The seeds can then hibernate in a sheltered place to finally sprout in spring. Since liverworts are cold germs, they absolutely need winter onesTemperatures to break dormancy, i.e. to allow germination.
Are liverworts poisonous?
Like all buttercups, hepatica is mildly toxic to both humans and animals. Therefore, to be on the safe side, gloves should be worn when coming into contact with the plant, or remember to wash your hands thoroughly after working with the plants.
Effect and use
The name "liverwort" refers on the one hand to the shape of the petals, which are said to be reminiscent of our human liver. On the other hand, the plant was also used in the past to cure liver problems. When dried, the plant loses its toxicity and a decoction can be made with white wine, which is said to help against indigestion and cystitis, among other things. Such use of the plant should be discussed with a doctor beforehand to be on the safe side. Since the liverwort may not be picked or dug up according to the Federal Species Protection Act, only specimens from your own garden may be used.
You can find out more about early bloomers in our article on the snowdrop. There we give helpful tips for planting.