Hepaticas are protected and may not be collected. But the flower can be planted in your own garden. Read here what you should consider.
The mostly blue-flowered hepatica (occasionally also white and pink flowers) is one of the absolutely easy-care medicinal herbs and can easily be planted in semi-shade. Although the wild form, which is widespread in Europe, has already been placed under nature protection and can no longer be picked along the way!
But growing it in your own garden is no problem at all. Here we will tell you how to do it and what you should consider when caring for and harvesting the liverwort.
Warning:
All fresh plant parts are poisonous! However, when dried, the liverwort is non-toxic and can be used to treat bladder diseases, liver diseases and gallbladder diseases.
Plant Hepatica
Hepatica clearly prefers calcareous soils, which is why it likes to bloom under trees and in the shelter of hedges. The perennial herb plants reach a height of up to 20 centimeters.
» Tip:
The liverworts, which can be propagated by root division, should be planted for the first time either in autumn or in spring, immediately after the frost days.
Hepaticas then multiply by themselves and can even cover larger areas of the ground after several years. However, they secrete substances that are unpleasant for some other plants through their roots and thus prevent them from growing.
Caring for Hepatica
The fine hepatica blossoms already bloom in the period from the end of February to almost the beginning of May in various shades of blue to sometimes even violet, in white, pink, two-tone, etc. In Japan, particularly effective flower variants of the liverwort are often grown and partly offered at immensely high prices.
The little flowers, which at first glance seem a bit inconspicuous, are among the first heralds of spring in the garden. Which significantly increases their popularity with some gardeners.
Casting:
It is important that you always keep the plants moist. Why you theFlowers should be watered abundantly on particularly dry days, sometimes even in the morning and evening.
Fertilize:
You should also provide the liverwort with compost and/or leaves in autumn, which you can also use as fertilization. Work in the compost a little around the plants (rake in).
Harvest Hepatica
The flowers of the liverwort are harvested, which you can then dry and use for tea, for example. You can also use these flowers to make tinctures.
» Tip:
Be sure to wear gloves when picking the flowers, as the poisonous petals can irritate your skin. (Link tip: poisonous plants in gardens - you should know these 7)