Hepatica 2015

[Anne Repnow]

These are all plants of the 'Forest Hybrid' series of H. nobilis var. japonica 
All were planted out in the garden and have survived the frosts of winter for several years.

[Gunilla]

On the pictures it is a new H. japonica from this year.

It looks like a sweet little cupcake, very tasty 

These are all plants of the 'Forest Hybrid' series of H. nobilis var. japonica 
All were planted out in the garden and have survived the frosts of winter for several years.

Interesting to hear that they have survived outside in your garden. I can't grow H. japonica outside, they don't like the winters here.  Maybe there are some hardier species involved in the 'Forest Hybrids' ?
Your 'Schneeflocke is exquisite.

[Anne Repnow]

Gunilla, I can't grow Japanese Hepatica out in the garden, either. (Murdered one and gave up forever...)
But these Forest Hybrids appear to be something else - they are quite hardy. We had -15 C (without snow) and they survived. And - what's more - they are fairly cheap. www.stauden-stade.de sells them for about 7 €.

I looked the Forest Hybrids up in Andreas Händel's book. He says that the parentage of these plants is kept secret (by whom he doesn't say). He believes them to be F1 Hybrids between Japanese liverwort and European Hepatica nobilis or H. acutiloba. They are fertile but the offspring have smaller flowers and less intensive colours. He, too, says they are hardy in his garden (in East Germany where it is far colder than where I live).

[johnstephen29]

Hi I'm still new to hepatica growing so my few plants are not as showery as other plants shown on here, but I've managed to get some into flower. The first is H. Japonica, I got this from the plant stall at cyclamen society stall at wisley, loverly White flowers with what looks like blue stamens. The next is H. Pyrenaica with pinky white flowers and loverly marked foliage.

image by johnstephen29, on Flickr

image by johnstephen29, on Flickr

[Leena]

Interesting to hear that they have survived outside in your garden. I can't grow H. japonica outside, they don't like the winters here.  Maybe there are some hardier species involved in the 'Forest Hybrids' ?
Your 'Schneeflocke is exquisite.

That is bad news for me, I have just some H.japonica germinating, and I was going to plant them outside, but perhaps that is not a good idea  (seeds were bought from Denmark).

I also love 'Schneeflocke', it looks so beautiful!!

[johnstephen29]

Hi Leena I wouldn't risk it where you are, luckily they grow just as well in the house or greenhouse.

[Gunilla]

Leena, I don't think it is the cold that kills them, more likely it's the alternation of mild and cold spells when the plants have started to grow.  The winters here are often mild and triggers the plants to early growth. Then we usually have really cold periods in February - April, often without any snow for protection. H. transsilvanica and H. nobilis have no problem with the late spring frost but the Japanese hepatica planted outside have all died after a year or two.

John, that's a nice contrast with the blue stamens on your white flower.  I'm also very fond of the marked leaves of H. pyrenaica. This variant of Hepatica nobilis grows well outside here and self seeds a lot and they keep their lovely leaves all through the winter.

[johnstephen29]

Thanks Gunilla as I said before I an new to hepatica growing, but I am pleased with how my few plants are coming along. I am going to try Pyrenaica outside later see how it goes. I also have a couple of ordinary nobilis growing outside that I got from Jan at green ice nursery in the Netherlands that have started and have loverly blue flowers, I'll post a photo later.

[Leena]

Leena, I don't think it is the cold that kills them, more likely it's the alternation of mild and cold spells when the plants have started to grow.  The winters here are often mild and triggers the plants to early growth. Then we usually have really cold periods in February - April, often without any snow for protection. H. transsilvanica and H. nobilis have no problem with the late spring frost but the Japanese hepatica planted outside have all died after a year or two.

Thank you Gunilla.  I will try to find a sheltered spot for them (and keep some in pots just in case) where they would not start to grow too early and where there is some protection from frosts. Also here H.nobilis is very hardy and don't mind freezing nights even after it is in bud.
Hepatica nobilis is now almost flowering here, when the next sunny day comes they will open their flowers.

[Leena]

Gunilla, I can't grow Japanese Hepatica out in the garden, either. (Murdered one and gave up forever...)
But these Forest Hybrids appear to be something else - they are quite hardy. We had -15 C (without snow) and they survived. And - what's more - they are fairly cheap. www.stauden-stade.de sells them for about 7 €.

I looked the Forest Hybrids up in Andreas Händel's book. He says that the parentage of these plants is kept secret (by whom he doesn't say). He believes them to be F1 Hybrids between Japanese liverwort and European Hepatica nobilis or H. acutiloba. They are fertile but the offspring have smaller flowers and less intensive colours. He, too, says they are hardy in his garden (in East Germany where it is far colder than where I live).

This is very interesting, because last week end there was a big plant show in Stockholm, Sweden, and my sister went there and brought back a souvenier for me: White Forest Hybrid-hepatica.  It doesn't flower this year, but I'm very excited about it especially in light of what Bolinopsis wrote.

[Herman Mylemans]

A double Hepatica nobilis found in Gotland (Sweden).

[Leena]

How beautiful double H.nobilis.
You  have good soil for it to flower so much.

[annew]

A wonderful form!

[Gunilla]

A double Hepatica nobilis found in Gotland (Sweden).

That's a beautiful double form.

H. nobilis 'Bergfexing' has started to flower here.

[annew]

Very pretty, and it has stamens!