For a few weeks I had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of a particular wildflower. I knew it would appear soon, and that its longevity would be short. I didn’t want to miss it. So a few days ago I took a walk to dry, rocky slope and lo and behold I saw it: the Round-lobed Hepatica (Anemone americana). Pretty as any flower I have ever seen, the Round-lobed Hepaticas were displaying their lovely violet colors for anyone who may have walked by.
This member of the buttercup family is one of the first wildflowers to appear in the eastern woodland forests. It ranges in color from violet to white. The spring ephemeral gets its common name because its thrice-lobed leaves have rounded edges. The word Hepatica is of Greek origin and refers to the leaf resembling the human liver. The genus name Anemone is a Greek word that means “windflower” or “daughter of the wind,” referring the old belief that the flowers only opened in windy conditions.
In my opinion, there is no wildflower that better announces the arrival of spring than the Round-lobed Hepatica. I like to think of it as the prelude to a wonderful performance. Like the horns played at the beginning of a great symphony, the hepaticas are followed by an orchestra of life: plants, animals, and fungi that harmonize in a glorious opus of nature.
