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Hepatica: The Little Flower That Announces Spring

By Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist

February 18, 2026

Hepatica flowers in bloom. Photo by Jennifer Correa-Kruegel.

Round-lobed hepatica is a distinctive perennial flowering plant that is classed in the buttercup family. Scientifically named Anemone Americana, hepatica blooms from late winter to early spring in the Northern Hemisphere before the surrounding trees begin to leaf out.

Its early season arrival of liver-shaped leaves and vibrant-hued flowers are a welcome sight for spring’s eager pollinators as they emerge from their winter slumber. The round-lobed hepatica blossoms, which prefer sloped land and rocky banks in deciduous woodlands are, indeed, a beautiful and fascinating harbinger of warmer days to come.

Called the “gem of the woods” by Naturalist John Burroughs, the leaves of this small (under 12-inch high) ground plant can be seen all year around. They appear with a rusty hue throughout the winter before offering a brightly-colored invitation to pollinators in March.

A three-lobed green leaf on a brown forest floor — The three-lobed green leaves of the hepatica plant. Photo by Jennifer Correa-Kruegel.

The newly-blooming flowers technically possess sepals instead of petals. The sepals, which are similar-looking to petals, not only feature bright colors to attract pollinators, but they also provide protection to the reproductive structures of the plant. It can be challenging to find the pink, lavender or white flowers peaking up through the leaf litter at first, but the plant quickly becomes a pretty staple of spring ground cover.

As late winter yields to early spring, the fleshy buds of the flowers first emerge, and they are visibly covered with a soft fuzz. This velvety covering keeps the early blooms warm when there is still a chance of cold weather or even snow; it also protects the plant’s precious nectar stores from pervasive insects like ants. The nectar is reserved for classic flying pollinators like bees, flies, butterflies, and beetles.

The ants play their role later in the life-cycle of the plant. While the plant and its pollinators work in synchronicity to fertilize the seeds, the abundant ground insects are finally welcomed to play an important role. The insects, known for their large population, find the seeds of the perennial to be an abundant food source and will collect and transport their haul for consumption and storage. Uneaten seeds stored in the vast ant colony help perpetuate the plant beyond its current life cycle. Stores of uneaten fertilized seeds will start the plant’s cycle anew in a different location.

In addition to its benefits to the insect world, it was once believed to possess medicinal qualities due to its liver-shaped structures (“hepa” being the Latin for pertaining to the liver), and used as a folk medicine cure for liver and kidney ailments. However, the plant is actually moderately toxic when ingested by animals and humans.

Fun Facts About the Hepatica

John Burroughs referred to hepatica as “gem of the woods.”
Flowers of hepatica can be pink, lavender, or white.
Hepatica means “liver” in Latin and was believed to be a remedy for liver and kidney ailments, but is toxic when ingested.
Fuzz on new blooms keeps the flower warm and deters ants.
Ants help later by collecting seeds and bringing them underground.

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist

Jennifer has a Masters in Parks and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University. She worked as a Park Naturalist for Hunterdon County Park System from 2003-2006 and then at the NJSOC full-time from 2006 - 2020, starting as the Program Coordinator and evolving to an Environmental Educator. Jen is a New Jersey native and has lived in Warren County with her family since 2004. She is excited to be offering programs to this community she has grown to love.