Columnists > Ellen Brown > GuidesMarch 13, 2006

Growing: Epimedium

By Ellen Brown

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.

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