Hepatica 2022

[Herman Mylemans]

Hepatica nobilis var. pyrenaica

[Peppa]

This is a Hepatica acutiloba x Hepatica japonica seedling. It is interesting that the plant looked exactly like H. acutiloba until it bloomed. The leaves are the same and the flowers stand upright. The mother H. acutiloba is white and the pollen parent is a purple H. japonica. When I self-pollinate H. acutiloba, almost all seedlings come true from the seeds. However, it is interesting that H. acutiloba will take the color from the pollen parent a high percentage of the time, and so hybrids with other Hepatica species can turn out with similar superficial characteristics as H. actutiloba, but with different colors than would be found in the pure species. This can lead to some confusion if care is not taken, especially in the trade.

Another interesting aspect is that when H. acutiloba is hybridized (when H. acutiloba is the mother plant), the anthers often do not develop fully. The seedlings will be either maiden forms (lack of stamens) or have mutated anthers. It occurs often in garden plants and I have seen some examples of H. acutiloba x H. nobilis with similar results. Rick Lupp once made a wonderful cross of a pale pink H. acutiloba with a lovely deep pink H. nobilis var pyrenaica; the result is a stunning pink maiden with upright flowers and mottled acutiloba leaves. I think H. acutiloba has lots of potential for hybridization as well as within the pure species.

[MarcR]

All the H nobilis I have ever seen are pale blue with white centers. Where do you find the color variations?

[Herman Mylemans]

This is a Hepatica acutiloba x Hepatica japonica seedling. It is interesting that the plant looked exactly like H. acutiloba until it bloomed. The leaves are the same and the flowers stand upright. The mother H. acutiloba is white and the pollen parent is a purple H. japonica. When I self-pollinate H. acutiloba, almost all seedlings come true from the seeds. However, it is interesting that H. acutiloba will take the color from the pollen parent a high percentage of the time, and so hybrids with other Hepatica species can turn out with similar superficial characteristics as H. actutiloba, but with different colors than would be found in the pure species. This can lead to some confusion if care is not taken, especially in the trade.

Another interesting aspect is that when H. acutiloba is hybridized (when H. acutiloba is the mother plant), the anthers often do not develop fully. The seedlings will be either maiden forms (lack of stamens) or have mutated anthers. It occurs often in garden plants and I have seen some examples of H. acutiloba x H. nobilis with similar results. Rick Lupp once made a wonderful cross of a pale pink H. acutiloba with a lovely deep pink H. nobilis var pyrenaica; the result is a stunning pink maiden with upright flowers and mottled acutiloba leaves. I think H. acutiloba has lots of potential for hybridization as well as within the pure species.

Peppa, very interesting observations. Thanks for sharing.

[Carsten]

This is a Hepatica acutiloba x Hepatica japonica seedling. It is interesting that the plant looked exactly like H. acutiloba until it bloomed. The leaves are the same and the flowers stand upright. The mother H. acutiloba is white and the pollen parent is a purple H. japonica. When I self-pollinate H. acutiloba, almost all seedlings come true from the seeds. However, it is interesting that H. acutiloba will take the color from the pollen parent a high percentage of the time, and so hybrids with other Hepatica species can turn out with similar superficial characteristics as H. actutiloba, but with different colors than would be found in the pure species. This can lead to some confusion if care is not taken, especially in the trade.

Another interesting aspect is that when H. acutiloba is hybridized (when H. acutiloba is the mother plant), the anthers often do not develop fully. The seedlings will be either maiden forms (lack of stamens) or have mutated anthers. It occurs often in garden plants and I have seen some examples of H. acutiloba x H. nobilis with similar results. Rick Lupp once made a wonderful cross of a pale pink H. acutiloba with a lovely deep pink H. nobilis var pyrenaica; the result is a stunning pink maiden with upright flowers and mottled acutiloba leaves. I think H. acutiloba has lots of potential for hybridization as well as within the pure species.

Very nice seedling, Peppa!
I fully agree that acutiloba has a lot of potential. I especially like the upright position of the flowers. Many cultivars of nobilis and other species often tend to have their flowers laying on the ground.

[Upico]

Various Hepatica nobilis in the woodgarden.

[Gabriela]

This is a Hepatica acutiloba x Hepatica japonica seedling. It is interesting that the plant looked exactly like H. acutiloba until it bloomed. The leaves are the same and the flowers stand upright. The mother H. acutiloba is white and the pollen parent is a purple H. japonica. When I self-pollinate H. acutiloba, almost all seedlings come true from the seeds. However, it is interesting that H. acutiloba will take the color from the pollen parent a high percentage of the time, and so hybrids with other Hepatica species can turn out with similar superficial characteristics as H. actutiloba, but with different colors than would be found in the pure species. This can lead to some confusion if care is not taken, especially in the trade.

Another interesting aspect is that when H. acutiloba is hybridized (when H. acutiloba is the mother plant), the anthers often do not develop fully. The seedlings will be either maiden forms (lack of stamens) or have mutated anthers. It occurs often in garden plants and I have seen some examples of H. acutiloba x H. nobilis with similar results. Rick Lupp once made a wonderful cross of a pale pink H. acutiloba with a lovely deep pink H. nobilis var pyrenaica; the result is a stunning pink maiden with upright flowers and mottled acutiloba leaves. I think H. acutiloba has lots of potential for hybridization as well as within the pure species.

Interesting looking seedling Peppa. Of course H. acutiloba has great potential for hybridization. I know some are working with it in this purpose.
It is true that when used as mother plant, usually the seedlings resemble a lot with their 'mama', foliage and habit wise. It must be a character
transmitted through maternal genes. Also in other species crosses the seedlings inherit the foliage from the mother (like H. x media from H. transsilvanica x nobilis).

The only hybrid specimen I have from a controlled pollination (H. acutiloba x H.nobilis var. pyrenaica), also presents foliage typical of H. acutiloba and it is sterile.

[Gabriela]

Nice to see more Hepatica flowering Herman and beautiful colors from H. nobilis Upico!

Unfortunately we are getting back to winter starting today, with low temp. predicted to -12C for next week. I don't know how the buds of some
Hepaticas will react. H. japonica and H. x media and H. transsilvanica are already showing the color. I can only pile more leaves on top and make use of a few blankets; fingers crossed.
H. japonica flower buds stage yesterday.


H. transsilvanica 'Schwanensee' (from seeds) it will be the first flowering.

[Peppa]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I am fascinated by H. acutiloba and have been working on them for a while.

Related to what Carsten mentioned in his previous post, it seems like maiden forms of H. acutiloba (mother plant) can also produce maiden form offspring. And like Gabriela mentioned, in my experience many of the maiden forms of H. acutiloba tend to be smaller sized flowers; I have put pollen from larger-flowered examples of H. actuiloba on these maiden flowers and the results seem to have larger flowers than the parent plant.

I have enjoyed everyone’s photos!

[Leena]

Unfortunately we are getting back to winter starting today, with low temp. predicted to -12C for next week.

The same will be here, but most of my plants are still under snow and ice, so I don't know how they will be.
In the earliest spot native H.nobilis are well after a difficult winter (though it is not yet over), and even when the leaves have all gone bad (not in the picture), the fat buds are firm and ready to open when it gets warmer. They are really so hardy little plants.

[Gabriela]

The same will be here, but most of my plants are still under snow and ice, so I don't know how they will be.
In the earliest spot native H.nobilis are well after a difficult winter (though it is not yet over), and even when the leaves have all gone bad (not in the picture), the fat buds are firm and ready to open when it gets warmer. They are really so hardy little plants.

Everything should be well under snow Leena. All my japonicas were looking super good after the snowmelt.
I am worried about the buds which are already a bit open, but nothing I can do. The cold will continue into April it seems. Some years, Hepaticas start flowering in the first week of April :'(

[Gabriela]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I am fascinated by H. acutiloba and have been working on them for a while.

Related to what Carsten mentioned in his previous post, it seems like maiden forms of H. acutiloba (mother plant) can also produce maiden form offspring. And like Gabriela mentioned, in my experience many of the maiden forms of H. acutiloba tend to be smaller sized flowers; I have put pollen from larger-flowered examples of H. actuiloba on these maiden flowers and the results seem to have larger flowers than the parent plant.
I have enjoyed everyone’s photos!

Regarding maiden forms of acutiloba, here are 2 that I found only last year, one with tiny but colorful flowers.

and a white one; it has just a few anthers which is good for confirmation of pure species (white connectives).


Our spring will be short and intense, so I will post now the hybrid H. acutiloba x H. nobilis var. pyrenaica I mentioned; it is not my cross, just to be clear. I don't have a breeding program for Hepaticas (yet). A most beautiful multipetala, the color is hard to catch; sterile, remains in flower very long.
Hepatica 'Ann'

[Gabriela]

And, I will take initiative  and show a just announced form of double H. acutiloba by Jürgen Peters - hold your breath

[mellifera]

Here also two Acutiloba are in flower
'Ann' and semidouble deep blue

[mellifera]

A few more:
H. transsilvanica 'Barbarossa'
H. transsilvanica 'Conny Greenfield'
H. Alba Plena 'Stockholm'
H. Alba Plena 'England'
H. Nobilis 'Edith'