Hepatica

One of springs earliest woodland wildflowers, and always considered one of the most beautiful, Hepatica is quite common in eastern woodlands. The blooms vary dramatically in color, and range from lavender to white to (rarely) pink. Some even take on a picotee coloring, with stunning white-edged purplish petals. Hepaticas are usually the very welcome first color in the spring woods, blooming through the leaf litter long before trees leaf out. Each plant is approximately the size of a healthy African violet, and they spread quite rapidly. An easy-to-grow must-have species for all shady gardens. (Photo  by Dr. Brian Klinkenberg of eflora.bc.ca with gracious permission.)