HORTICULTURE;  Mighty Mites for the Garden ~ Epimediums

Karen Z. Lucas, Chairman

The epimediums are small woody perennials that have delicate lovely flowers but the real attraction is their beautiful foliage and their use as a ground cover. The common name is "barrenwort" and they are members of the Berberidacea family. They grow naturally in northern temperate zones from the eastern Mediterranean through Asia and consist of more than 30 species (so far). They are clump forming and spread by underground stems. The leaves are finely toothed, usually heart shaped, and 1-3 inches in size. The colors of the leaves range from bronze to light green in spring and may be tinged with red in the fall. Many may exhibit a lovely bronze color in winter; the leaves and flowers are attached to a wiry stem. The flowers appear in the spring in clusters and the colors range from yellow to orange to red and to white with tinges of purple. The flowers are cupped, some having long spurs.

These plants are hardy, tough, drought resistant and long lived. They will grow in par­tial to full shade and compete with tree and shrub roots. Most are just under a foot in height and increase in width slowly but steadily and without becoming invasive. They are good choices for rock gardens or along a shady path.

Cultural requirements are simple. They will grow in dry shade, but really perform best when placed in rich, highly organic, moist, well drained and slightly acid soil. Some are ever­green and some semi evergreen. Cut all the leaves down in early spring to view the flowers and encourage compact growth. If you wish more plants, divide them in early spring or in summer after the new foliage matures. Set the plants 8 to 12 inches apart.

Some of the species that are available in the trade include:

•    Epimedium alpinum: 9-12", semi evergreen, flowers off-red sepals and yellow petals with short spurs, bronze leaves when young.

•     E. grandiflorum (E.macranthum): Semi-evergreen, 9-12",   1-2" yellow, white, mauve pink and violet spurred flowers, new leaves beige to light green. 'White Queen': White flower stained with purple, 10". 'Rose Queen': lilac purple flower. 'Violaceum': lilac colored flower.

•      E. perralderianum: a true evergreen, bright yellow flowers, 12", deep green leaves.

•      E. pubigerum: creamy white or pink flowers

•    E. x rubrum: red rose pink flowers, 8-12", leaves bronze to light green with bright red coral shades in the fall, does well in full shade.

•  E. x versicolor 'Sulphureum' or 'Neo-sulphureum': Bicolor Barrenwort, 12", clusters of yellow with long red tinged spurs, leaves green with tint of purple, a vigorous plant, there­fore good in dry shade.

•     E. x warleyense: Leaves light green with red tinge, clusters of cupped-shaped orange flow­ers, spreads rapidly but less dense.

•     E. x youngianumJN\\eum': neat clumps, leaves milk chocolate in spring, clusters of white airy flowers, 10", smaller foliage.