H. occidentalis comes from Germany, France, Spain, Belgium and England where it grows in wooded areas.

The light green leaves of this acaulescent species are subdivided into seven and up to thirteen segments. They are sharply serrated. In autumn the leaves change color and then fall off of the plant.

Until recently, H. occidentalis was considered a subspecies of H. virdis. One difference between these two species is the sharply serrated foliage of H. occidentalis. H. occidentalis will not approach the vigor of H. viridis.