I planted this in one of my large planters on my west-facing balcony. I don’t remember when or where I purchased it but I thought it was dead. It could be Anemone americana which is often found in the Sourland Mountains. The first time I encountered hepatica was when I saw round-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica americana) in 2015.
But I was unsure which variety, Hepatica acutiloba (sometimes treated as H. nobilis var. acuta) or round-lobed hepatica, Hepatica americana (sometimes treated as H. nobilis var. obtusa). Hepatica acutiloba and Hepatica americana are both perennial herbaceous plant that typically grows in woodland habitats (like the Sourland Mountains). Hepatica acutiloba produces white, pink, or purple flowers in early spring while Hepatica americana produces white, pink, or blue flowers in early spring.
From what I have read online, Hepatica nobilis var. acuta and Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa are two varieties of the same species. The main difference lies in their leaf morphology. Var. acuta has sharply pointed lobes on its leaves, while var. obtusa has rounded or obtuse lobes. Additionally, var. acuta is often found in more northern regions, while var. obtusa is more common in southern areas. Both varieties produce similar white, pink, or blue flowers in early spring.
Based on the macro photographs of the leaves I think this is Hepatica nobilis var. acuta aka sharp-lobed hepatica.
