Elegant Epimedium

by Vonnie Kovacic
Images © Vonnie Kovacic

It’s difficult to find the perfect perennial for the herbaceous border but, to my mind, epimedium is as close to perfect as any plant with which I am familiar. Epimedium, a plant with a rather ugly common name, barrenwort, is a lovely perennial that would be a welcome addition to any border.

How many plants catch one’s eye four seasons of the year? Epimedium is an evergreen perennial (deciduous in northern areas) that is grown for its striking foliage. Picture a 30 - 40 cm mound of leathery heart-shaped leaves, overlapped in feather fashion. Early spring foliage is apple green with every leaf delicately veined and edged in magenta.

Maturing to a solid deep green during summer the leaves then turn a vivid bronze-red in late autumn. Coastal gardeners will enjoy this colourful show all winter.

Epimedium bear flowers in April or May, depending on the area. Clusters of thimble-sizes blossoms, not unlike miniature aquilegia, hang along wiry stems. The old foliage should be cut off in early spring before the flowers appear, so the blossoms are fully visible. Flowers last about three weeks, quickly followed by a flush of new leaves.

 

 

Choice epimediums include:

• E. youngianum ‘Niveum’ with pure white flowers
• E. x rubrum features yellow spurred crimson flowers
• E. grandiflorum offers lavender blooms with white spurs
• E. x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’ displays cheerful yellow flowers with red spurs

The botanical gardens at U.B.C. have a lovely collection of various epimedium, as well as many other glorious plants for the gardener to enjoy.

Epimedium thrive in humus rich, well-drained acid soil in sun or shade. Indeed, epimedium is one of those rare plants that will grow (and thrive) in dry shade. Mulch plants with leaf mold and compost to retain moisture.

Hardy to -30 degrees Celsius, this is one tough plant. Immune to disease and pests, even slugs won’t touch the foliage.

Epimedium cannot be surpassed as a trouble-free ground cover in a shade or woodland garden. It looks absolutely stunning in a planting with hosta, ferns and astilbe.

Roberts Creek resident Vonnie Kovacic has a passion for propagating plants from seed and cuttings. She is a contributing writer to GardenWise magazine.