Flowering period, February to April.
Hepatica Triloba.
Syns. Anemone Triloba and Anemone Hepatica; Nat. Ord. Ranunculaceæ.
Fig. 50. Hepatica Triloba.
(One-third natural size.)
The well-known common Hepatica, of which there are so many beautiful varieties. It is a hardy perennial, one of the "old-fashioned" flowers of English gardens, and is said by some to be a British species; anyhow, it was well known and admired in this country 300 years ago. Well-established specimens form neat tufts of three-lobed leaves on long stems, which are not evergreen in this climate, though the Hepaticas are known to be so in North America, one of their most extensive habitats. Here, under cultivation, they produce much finer flowers, and more of them. The cut (Fig. 50), however, shows the foliage in more perfect form than it is commonly seen to be in this climate during the period of bloom, when the old is usually sered, and the new scarcely visible. The varieties of H. triloba differ only in the colour and form of their flowers, there being blue, purple, white, and pink. Of the first and last named there are double varieties as well.
Cultivation, the same as for H. angulosa.
Flowering period, February to April.
H. t. splendens is a charming Windflower, and one which, from its extra brilliancy, is sure to become a favourite, as, indeed, the whole genus Anemone is. It is a new variety of H. triloba, and is yet somewhat scarce, differing from the more generally known kinds of the same species in only two points, so that, beyond the mention of them, no other description is needful: (1) Its flowers are single red, but so much deeper in colour, brighter, and of better substance, as to be quite distinct, and merit the name "splendens." (2) It flowers earlier than the commoner red kind. This handsome seedling of the common Hepatica is very suggestive of what can be done by raising seed from carefully-selected sorts, and within the last few years something has been done in that direction, so that in a little time we may expect to see other good varieties. I may add that seedlings are three years before they bloom, and even longer before a proper idea can be formed of their qualities.