Folk Medicine

Latin name: Hepaticae herba

Usable parts: Whole herb when in bloom

Harvest period: March to April3

Constituents: Protoanemonin³

Action: Protects the liver, expectorant3

Application: The herb is picked during the flowering season and then dried. However, it is poisonous when still green. After drying, it is an effective remedy to treat a variety of liver ailments.

Risk of misidentification: None

Tips for Domestic Cultivation

As it suffers from severe depopulation the liverwort plant should be left alone. If it appears in your garden, it should be taken care of and harvested sustainably. Transplanting the liverwort is problematic, but if this task is performed with care and the plant is relocated to a good spot, it may work.

Home Use / Recipe Idea

According to an old folktale, to enjoy health all year round consume the first three blossoms of the liverwort. Now isn’t that an incentive to go and enjoy the splendour of the forest?


3 “Die Kräuter in meinem Garten” by Siegrid Hirsch & Felix Grünberger; 22nd Edition; Freya Verlag Gmbh