Hepatica 2011

[Luc Gilgemyn]

What an amazing colour Chris !! 

[Gerry Webster]

Chris - that is an amazing red.

[Olga Bondareva]

Anne, yes I have some H. japonica. They all survived that "black frost" and flowered.

[Olga Bondareva]

Chris, what outstanding color!

[Morgayn]

I too have found that small slugs are responsible for damage to hepaticas in troughs or planted out. Rarely in pots under cover. I've never tried copper coins & I believe there are commercially available copper bands which are said to be deterrents.  I suspect that, just as in the case of grit, ashes & other supposed remedies,  slugs will ignore them.

I've used strands of copper wire around individual plants and planters to deter slugs with good success. We have huge leopard slugs here, they measure well over 8" long and make short work of tender plants.

[fermi de Sousa]

What an astounding start to the Hep Season! They are virtually impossible here so I have to enjoy them on the Forum or when I visit friends like Otto or Viv in the Dandenongs.
I've heard of the use of the copper coins to deter slugs and probably a lot cheaper than the commercial copper strips or bands - in fact someone else recently remarked that it only costs a few pennies!
 
cheers
fermi

[Diane Clement]

Anne, yes I have some H. japonica. They all survived that "black frost" and flowered.

Olga, I am amazed you have these flowers on hepatica at this time of year, you are so much colder than us - are they outside?

[Olga Bondareva]

Diane,
Images are made in the May of 2010.  That was illustration to Anne's question. Of course now we have a lot of snow and there are no any signs of spring. 

[Maggi Young]

I don't know if this has been mentioned already.... but it likely bears repeating... here is a link to an article on Hepatica in trhe RHC Plantsman magazine of December 2010 :
http://www.rhs.org.uk/RHSWebsite/files/d5/d5e2e573-a4e1-4b33-85b0-dbea66dde346.pdf

edit March 25th:

 I've just heard that link no longer works... but this one does:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/RHS-Publications/Journals/The-Plantsman/2010-issues/December/Hepatica-hybrids

Thanks, Joakim!

[Ulla Hansson]

Thank you Maggi for the link, I had not seen it before.
 My sister has a plant of Hepatica Maxima, it has survived out there quite a few years.
 It has every winter a Styrofoam box for protection. It is necessary, as it is quite cold, and not always so much snow.
 I have collected seed, will see if they germinate in the spring.

[Natalia]

At us a blizzard also promise that the temperature will fall to-18, and here show what magnificent Hepatica now blossom!

 Chris - surprising colour!!

 At me in the winter in a new garden the biggest harm is brought by rodents - mice and полевки. Last year they rejoicing to new plants have eaten all flowers at wintered Hepatica. And at Hepatica japonica have eaten completely, there were only the most thin backs.

Maggie, thanks for the interesting link!

[johngennard]

Concerning slug damage,these pictures illustrate the type of damage to be aware of.While I was at it I thought you might like to see these earlybirds

Supernova
Transyllvanica alba
Japonica alba

[ashley]

What beauties John

In my experience slugs gnaw petals rather randomly but woodlice nibble them inward from the apex in a more regular pattern (violas being their particular favourites here).

[Gunilla]

What a shame the slugs and mice like hepatica as much as we do .  I hope they don't find my plants deep under snow.
Chris, your red flower is gorgeous. I have never seen anything like it.
So many lovely pics already in this thread. It must be nice to have hepatica in flower this time of year.

[annew]

John, that is a lovely white transylvanica - good solid flowers.
I think this has been covered before, but what is the accepted wisdom - to remove old leaves or not?