hepatica (Hepatica americana), photographi

How to Grow Hepatica

Hepatica americana · Zones 3-8

Hepatica is grown for its blooms, which open in summer. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 8 and shrugs off deer. Its summer flowers are a moderate draw for native bees.

Hepatica — the short answer

Hepatica: grown in zones 3–8, part sun, pH 6–8.5.

USDA zones
3–8
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
6–8.5
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Sun
Part Sun
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.

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Score Hepatica on your exact land.

Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether hepatica actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score hepatica against your land's real conditions.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

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What Hepatica is

Hepatica reaches around 6 inches at maturity. It blooms in summer. It's also deer-resistant.

Mature height, bloom period and deer resistance: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

How to grow Hepatica

Hepatica grows in USDA zones 3 through 8. Hepatica does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 8.5.

USDA Zones

3-8

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Soil pH

6 - 8.5

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Sun

Part Sun

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Drainage

Data pending

Mature Height

0.5 ft

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

  1. Start the season right

    Plant hepatica in part sun with at least 4 hours of direct sun. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

  2. Match the soil

    Hepatica prefers pH 6 to 8.5. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.

  3. Water steadily

    Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.

  4. Harvest at its peak

    Cut hepatica blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.

Where Hepatica thrives

Hepatica is hardy across USDA zones 3 through 8. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.

A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 3–8 spans average winter lows from -40°F to 20°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 34 outright and splits 17 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.

Zones 3–8 highlighted on the USDA national hardiness zone map

Zones 3–8·Where Hepatica growsOpen map →

This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Where Hepatica stands, state by state

Hepatica is rated for zones 3–8 — a cold floor USDA puts at -40 to -30°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 34 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 17 more, and 0 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.

Fully inside zones 3–8

34 states

3 of 34 shown

The line runs through

17 states

3 of 17 shown

Hepatica’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.

State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.

Good to know

Hepatica offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Your land is one point inside Hepatica's range

This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.

Free to start

See if Hepatica will thrive on your land

Zone averages are a start. Your soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether hepatica actually takes. We score it against the mapped and modelled conditions at your address.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

How we know this about Hepatica

The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.

Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database

Frequently asked questions

Can I grow Hepatica in my zone?

Hepatica grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8 (NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.

When should you plant Hepatica?

Time hepatica to your own season rather than the calendar. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.

How much sun does Hepatica need?

Hepatica does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.

What soil does Hepatica need?

Hepatica prefers soil pH 6 to 8.5. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. Your report scores your parcel's mapped soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.

Does Hepatica attract pollinators?

Yes — hepatica's flowers are a solid nectar source for native bees. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.