| Botanical Name: | Epimedium |
| Life Cycle: | perennial |
| Planting Time: | spring or fall |
| Height: | dwarf types 6" to 8"; full-sized up to 15" |
| Exposure: | partial shade |
| Soil: | average to rich, moist, well-drained soil with a neutral pH; dislikes clay |
| Hardiness: | zones 4 to 8 |
| Bloom Time: | early spring |
| Flower: | white flowers with four petals |
| Foliage: | green, wiry stems with heart-shaped leaves; new leaves tinted pink or red in spring develop attractive veins by summer; leaves turn bronze in fall and remain so over winter if planted in sheltered area |
| Propagation: | division in mid summer |
| Suggested Use: | ground cover, rack gardens, shade gardens, banks near ponds and streams, Japanese gardens |
| Growing Hints: | Plant from purchased seedlings in spring or fall or by division from mature plants in mid summer. Space plants 8 to 10 inches apart in moist, well-drained soil. Plants are slow to spread, so cut them back in early spring and clean up and dispose of winter leaf debris that could inhibit new growth. |
| Interesting Facts: | Epimedium are native to parts of Asia and spread by way of slow, creeping underground stems. |
