Hepatica 2018

[Carsten]

A sunny day and the Hepatica season seems to start here (in the greenhouse).

Four unnamed Hepatica japonicas.

[Carsten]

A few seedlings of a 2015 cross with japonica and a forest hybrid are very tiny.
See the tiny leafs next to one of  Anne Wright´s x schlyteris

[Carsten]

A semidouble Hepatica nobilis ready for crossbreeding ...
... and Hepatica pyrenaica 'Sue's Double'.

[Carsten]

Two pics of an unnamed bicoloured cultivar.
Hepatica japonica 'Ryougetsu II'
Hepatica japonica 'Hikogami'

[Carsten]

These seedlings of Hepatica pubescens 'Hohobeni' of 2015 give a nice spread and there a some more distinct forms.

[Carsten]

Finally two superb cultivars

'Yumeno hana' and 'Kouten'

[Herman Mylemans]

Lovely Hepatica's, Carstens! Is Hepatica pubescens 'Hohobeni' hardy?

[Carsten]

Hi Herman,

pubescens is from the central range of Honsu. So they will cope with frost without any problem. But I guess the plants are well covered with snow in this regions and are therefore relativly dry in winters, like other Hepaticas from the far east. This will not fit too well to our european winters with cold spells and frostfree phases. I have not yet tested pubescens in the garden but other japonicas do very well. Most important in my view is a very free draining compost or a slope that helps to remove excess water in the winter. Mine are planted on a raised bed with about 5 cm of substrate over a 20cm layer of pumice. I cover them with some composted pine and fir shredding so they are not to much affected by permanent frost movement that easely may cut the roots. Hope this helps.
The pics show 'Shirayuki' today at 15.30 and 16.30. It will start to bloom next week, depending on the temperature.

[Herman Mylemans]

Carstens, thank you. Here al the snow is gone and temperature is rising.

[ruweiss]

Thanks Herman, I cultivate my Hepatica falconeri in the Alpine House,
minimum temperature is -7°C controlled by a fan heater. When the
seedlings grow bigger I will try to cultivate them in the open garden.

[Gabriela]

A few seedlings of a 2015 cross with japonica and a forest hybrid are very tiny.
See the tiny leafs next to one of  Anne Wright´s x schlyteris

The tiny leaf one is very cute Carstens. I found a very similar one in the wild - of H. americana; precisely the exact leaf shape. I will measure it this year.

Your H. japonica cv. are very beautiful. I didn't manage to keep H. japonica alive here (the plants were from a nursery from a milder climate in British Columbia).
I try to grow from seeds now, maybe the seedlings acclimatize better. I see you are zone 6b, here is in between 6 and 5 so maybe there is hope.

[Leena]

Blue semidouble H.nobilis is my favourite! I think Hepaticas are becoming one of my most favourite plants.

other japonicas do very well. Most important in my view is a very free draining compost or a slope that helps to remove excess water in the winter. Mine are planted on a raised bed with about 5 cm of substrate over a 20cm layer of pumice. I cover them with some composted pine and fir shredding so they are not to much affected by permanent frost movement that easely may cut the roots.

This is very good information, thank you 
I have some seed grown H.japonica which have survived two winters now outside (three after this winter), they are in a slight slope under apple tree, and I cover them with dry oak leaves for the winter.
Some years ago I got forest-hybrid as a present, and planted also it outside, but it died the first winter.

[Gunilla]

I think Hepaticas are becoming one of my most favourite plants.

I couldn't agree with you more, Leena. It's not easy to pic a favourite, they are all very nice,  but the white seedling of Hepatica pubescens 'Hohobeni' is the one that won my heart .  Lovely flowers, Carsten.

[Carsten]

@ Gabriela: You are probably right. The Forest Hybrid of this cross might be an americana/japonica cross and in the F2 generation the spectrum of different leaf forms is large.

@ Gunilla: I´am happy to give you a white seedling even though they are still small. Yours doing very well here 

@ Leena and Gabriela: I think it´s always worth to try the japonicas outside. They are quite tough and add so much beauty to a garden.

[Gunilla]

Carsten, that is very kind of you. I'll send you a mail when mine are starting to wake up and I know what I have for swapping. By the way, yours are doing fine here, too  .

Hepatica nobilis 'Bavarian Blue'