# round-lobed hepatica (*Hepatica americana*) The round-lobed hepatica is a lovely flower that blooms in early spring. Its pretty leaves are shaped like little hands, and it can be purple, blue, or white! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 21 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Hepatica ![round-lobed hepatica](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Anemone_americana_5445458.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anemone_americana_5445458.jpg) ## Appearance The round-lobed hepatica has distinctively three-lobed, dark green leaves that persist through winter. Its fuzzy stems support delicate cup-shaped flowers, which can be brilliant blue, purple, pink, or white, opening wide to greet the earliest spring sun. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ranunculales - **Family:** Ranunculaceae - **Genus:** Hepatica ## Interesting facts - Even before blooming, hepatica flowers grow cozy, fuzzy stems. - Hepatica's tiny flowers can be blue, purple, pink, or even white! - Its leaves often have three lobes, shaped like a human liver! - Some people call this plant 'liverleaf' because of its unique leaves. ## Special abilities - **Winter Warming:** Round-lobed hepatica can slightly raise its flower temperature, helping it melt snow and attract early pollinators. - **Ant Allies:** It has special fatty packets on its seeds that ants collect, carrying the seeds away to spread them far and wide. - **Leafy Legacy:** Its tough, leathery leaves can survive winter under snow, storing energy for an extra-early spring bloom. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-15 cm - **Spread:** 15-25 cm - **Flower Size:** 1.5-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects early spring nectar - **Pollinates:** common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Feeds on abundant pollen - **Depends on:** black fungus ant (*Aphaenogaster picea*) — Disperses seeds for elaiosome ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not pick the flowers; they are best enjoyed in nature! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify round-lobed hepatica? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is round-lobed hepatica? 10-15 cm ### How wide does round-lobed hepatica spread? 15-25 cm ### How big are the flowers on round-lobed hepatica? 1.5-3 cm ### When does round-lobed hepatica bloom? Early spring ### Is round-lobed hepatica edible? No ### Is round-lobed hepatica toxic? Mild ### What is round-lobed hepatica's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Audubon Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/audubon-place-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Buchanan State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/buchanan-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [Camp Misty Mount Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/camp-misty-mount-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District - [Downtown Tuscaloosa Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-tuscaloosa-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gibraltar-rock-state-natural-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [Gorgas-Manly Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gorgas-manly-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Campus [View all places to see round-lobed hepatica](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/round-lobed-hepatica) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Round-lobed Hepatica: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/round-lobed-hepatica)