One the of earliest blooming perennials in Minnesota is the Roundlobed Hepatica (Anemone americana) which can emerge as early as April thus providing on of the first sources of food for pollinators.  Always a delight when you discover a colony of Anemone on early spring woodland hikes.  Must keep your eyes out for this plant since it only grows three-six inches off in the ground among the leaf matter.   Happy spring hikes. Do you like them? Let us know what you think over at abbyservices.com/.

BOTANICAL NAME  Anemone americana

COMMON NAME  RoundLobed Hepatica

DESCRIPTION  Minnesota Native.  Hepatics are one of the first flowers to bloom in spring.  Grows 3-6″ tall from a tuft of basal leaves that develops during the late spring and persists through the winter.  Each leaf is palmately divided into 3 lobe and can have a brown-redish molted surfacce.  A mature plant will produce a tuft of flowers on long naked stalks during early spring before new leaves emerge.  The sepals of the flower range from white, pastel pink, or pastel blue.

FAMILY Ranunculaceae

HEIGHT  4 inches

WIDTH  4 inches

HABIT Upright

ZONES  3 to 8

EXPOSURE Part Shade

FLOWER COLOR  White to Blue

BLOOM SEASON  Spring

COMPANION PLANTS Later blooming plants like Dicentra, Athyrium, Pulmonaria

GROWING AND MAINTENANCE TIPS  Easily grown in average well-drained soils.  Grows best under deciduous trees to get protect from sun later in the season. 

NOTES Woodlands, Rock Gardens, Native Gardens