Hepatica acutiloba, also called Sharp-lobed Liverleaf is a welcome sight in the early spring with its bright and cheerful white, pink or violet flowers poking up through the leaves on fuzzy 6-8″ tall stems. Leaves from the previous year are leathery and by the time the blossoms emerge, but new leaves fully unfurl before the end of the blooming period. The leaves are unpalatable to most mammals because of their texture and they will stick around all season and through the winter.In the wild, this little wildflower is found growing in rich woodlands and floodplains where there is little vegetation as it is easily out-competed by larger plants. Pollinators are attracted to the blooms, which offer an early source of pollen. A single old clump can have as many as 40 flowers. The root system consists of a tuft of fibrous roots. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.