Ivy Creek Natural Area Flowers:

Hepatica is named for its three-lobed purplish green leaves reminiscent of a liver.  This plant can be found growing in the native plant garden near the Education Building and adjacent to Orange trail near the intersection with the Peninsula trail.  The leaves are about 2 inches across. The flowers are about half an inch in diameter and can be found peeking out among the leaf litter in early March, although warm weather in some years can cause them to start blooming as early as mid-February. The flower color is usually white or purplish at Ivy Creek, although elsewhere variants can be found in pink and blue.