I just discovered a genus of beautiful plants called Hepaticas. I stumbled upon a gallery of rare plants while I was lost in the internet abyss, and they are absolutely stunning.

Does anyone know anything about these plants? I have never heard of them before, neither have my various gardening encyclopediae. There is only 3 entries of them in Hortiplex, so I'll try to do a google search, but it's hard to find information about growing Japanese plants in Australia. I wonder if they would like a tasmanian climate? I'll include the link of the gallery I found them in, they are so pretty.

Thanks in advance for your responses,

Lauren

Looked them in Encyclopaedia Botanica - only generalised information.

"Hepatica (Liverleaf) is closely related to Anemone, as the flower shape suggests. There are 10 species from North America, Europe and temperate Asia. They are all small, hairy, spring flowering perennial herbs. The supposed resemblance of their leaves to a liver gave them their common and botanical names: hepar is Latin for liver. They have medicinal uses in liver and respiratory complaints, as well as for indigestion. There are a number of garden varieties with white, blue or purple flowers, sometimes double.
CULTIVATION: They occur naturally in woodlands so prefer part-shade and rich, moist but well drained soil. Propagate from seed or by division, especially for the double varieties."

The only variety mentioned specifically is H. nobilis, a European native.

The colour variations shown on the website deviate so much from the "white, blue, purple" mentioned above suggests that there is some serious plant breeding done with the Japanese plants and that these beautiful varieties may not be easy to come by outside of Japan.

I'd try contacting the site and asking if they know if any breeders export to Australia and try and track down a retail outlet that way.

Thanks again,

Lauren

I grow Hepatica nobilis - the American species - in both pink and white forms - similar to the "Japanese" cultivars but singles only and without the patterning. They are really lovely little plants - they really do like cool woodland conditions. You should be able to grow them in Tas as I got mine from Plant Hunters in Tassy for $5.50 each. I think they are a mailorder only nursery (A friend loaned me his catalogue and I went a bit beserk, I'm afraid - they had Anemenopsis macrophylla, Kirengshoma koreana and Podophyllum hexandrum too - all utterly irresistable):

Plant Hunters
1115 Huon Road
NEIKA TAS 7054

Phone 03 6239 1401
Fax 03 6239 1481

I did hear on the horticultural grape vine that a certain nurserywoman in Victoria has a few of the Japanese cultivars and is intending to propagate them for sale. I think we will be waiting a while (so start saving now!). $100 per plant wouldn't surprise me at all.

Paul
Canberra

I'll start saving up. The cheapest they had at Rare Plants was $52, and they had a £50 minimum order which is $120, and then 10% of the price for postage & handling, then all the Quarantine expenses, it would work out quite expensive. So I wouldn't mind paying $100 for a plant if it's local :-) So thanks again, I'll ask Plant Hunters for a catalogue.

Cheers everyone :-)

Lauren

Hepaticas are quite small perennials - no more than 20 cm across and less that that high. For me, they are "semi deciduous", keeping their old leaves through winter but flowering in August before the new leaves emerge. The flowers are held above the foliage and are similar to woodland anemones (A. nemerosa). I have found that the individual flowers are quite long lasting (a week or more) and they produce flowers over abouta three week period. Keep them cool and out of direct sun and they should do well. I think you could trust Plant Hunters and I certainly wouldn't be importing live plants unless you know someone with a quarantine facility - I can't imagine that AQIS staff would know how to keep them!

Paul

Either way, I have to wait until next year before I think about getting any more plants, we're moving in december and all my pots are full to bursting...I've just sown some tomatoes & capsicums so I can transplant them when the tulips die back & free up the big tubs. I'm also waiting on my daffodils to die back so I can have a portable mini herb garden in my oblong pots...they seem to be taking forever!! Is anyone else as impatient as me?? :-)

Thanks again,

Lauren

Also, check out this link for a little more information.