Anemone hepatica. Nizhny Novgorod region

Anemone hepatica (Hepatica nobilis) is an herbaceous perennial plant, 5-15 cm tall, with solitary, upright flowers of bluish-purple color. In their young state, the leaves of the hepatica are covered with dense, soft, silky hairs, which they lose later. The plant belongs to the buttercup family. It blooms in April-May and bears fruit in June (the fruits are nuts up to 5 mm long). It reproduces mainly by seeds.

Anemone hepatica is listed in the Red Data Book of the Nizhny Novgorod region. It can be found in the "Voskresenskoye Povetluzhye" natural park.

Hepatica blooms in April, as soon as the snow melts. In popular usage, this early-blooming flower is also known as the "liverwort". The official name refers back to the Middle Ages. Healers of that time believed that this plant resembled the liver and could treat it. Modern medicine disproves this, as hepatica is actually poisonous. It is best not to touch it unnecessarily; if its sap gets on your hands and then on mucous membranes, it can have unpleasant consequences.

This remarkable plant has a wide ecological amplitude concerning light: it tolerates significant shading but can also grow in open areas. It is found on various soils but prefers substrates rich in lime with a well-developed litter layer. It has long been cultivated in gardens and is one of the most beautiful early-blooming plants.