Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Transylvanian Hepatica (Hepatica transsilvanica)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Transylvanian Hepatica, Romanian Hepatica, Blue Anemone.

More about transylvanian hepatica

About Transylvanian Hepatica

Hepatica transsilvanica · also called Transylvanian Hepatica, Romanian Hepatica · flowering

Transylvanian Hepatica is a vigorous species native to the Carpathian mountains of Romania, producing large, intensely blue or pale blue flowers in early spring. It is more robust than H. nobilis, forming broader clumps faster, and is valued for its six-lobed leaves and superior garden performance. Fully cold-hardy and deer-resistant.

Cold limit: USDA 4–9 · RHS H7 (-25 to 22°C)

Watch for — Late frost damage to flowers: Very early blooms (sometimes February in mild areas) can be nipped by late frosts. Cover with horticultural fleece on frosty nights during the bloom period.

What transylvanian hepatica's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — transylvanian hepatica is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H7 and USDA 4–9, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H7 means: Hardy in the severest European continental winters. On the US scale that maps to USDA 4–9 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly below about −20 °C. Transylvanian Hepatica is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for transylvanian hepatica as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can transylvanian hepatica go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 4–9 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when transylvanian hepatica can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H7 figure above.

Transylvanian Hepatica hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is transylvanian hepatica cold hardy?

Yes — transylvanian hepatica is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H7 and USDA 4–9, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Transylvanian Hepatica is hardy across USDA 4–9; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature transylvanian hepatica can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly below about −20 °C. Transylvanian Hepatica is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is transylvanian hepatica?

Transylvanian Hepatica is rated USDA 4–9 and RHS H7 — Hardy in the severest European continental winters.

Can transylvanian hepatica survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 4–9 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to transylvanian hepatica below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.