Epimedium - various threads gathered together here

[Lesley Cox]

Geez Mark, if I had a job, I'd offer to buy some divisions from you...

Nice sentiment Carlo, I appreciate the thought!  Now, if both of us would just kick this drug addiction called SRGC Forum, maybe we'd actually find jobs.   

Why don't you join forces? Maybe start a little nursery or something?

[Maggi Young]

A chap I used to be at college with sells alot of Epimediums  http://www.desirableplants.com/  (ruthless 'plug'   )
Mail Order only (EU), or will bring to shows.
I bought a Roscoea 'Red Gurkha' from him for my mother, and she hasn't managed to kill it yet (which is one hell of a recommendation   )

 Giles, I've added a link in the Links pages........ your Mother's experience with the plant is good enough for me!

[Carlo]

Oh right, Lesley...like we're not poor enough?

[maggiepie]

Oh right, Lesley...like we're not poor enough?

Location, location, not forgetting mail orders.

[johnw]

Oh right, Lesley...like we're not poor enough?

Location, location, not forgetting mail orders.

Helen  -  Mail orders to Canada?  They said they were poor which leads me to think they might not be terribly interested in being bankrupt too!  

I hear our low pressure system has backed the cold up and all the way down to South Carolina.  When the dam bursts we're in for a nasty coldsnap.

johnw

[johnw]

I do, however, have E. davidii, pictured above.

A really choice species.  Lesley, does it grow and flower well for you?  How spreading is it? I have one form that has grown into my Iris henryi patch, and must be brave one day to dig it all up and extricate the epimedium, use it as a propagation opportunity... I did plant them too close together.  Some E. davidii spread more than others.

Garden Vision Epimendiums listed 5 selections in their 2009 catalog:
E. davidii "Robust Forms" - flowering 18-24" (45-60 cm), rhizomes to 4-8"
E. davidii "Wolong Dwarfs" - flowering 6-10" (15-25 cm), growth rate not indicated
E. davidii "Wolong Selections" - 18-24" stems, growth rate not indicated
E. davidii 'EMR4125' - original Martyn Rix collection
E. davidii 'Emerald Sheen' - 2008 introduction (expensive), 12-24" tall, shiny foliage, clumping but occasional rhizome.

I had the first 4 forms, eventually lost the "Wolong Dwarf" selection in the first winter after planting, a rare phenomenon.  Must get the dwarf form back again.

Mark - Do you think there are tender Epimedium species? By that I mean tender for Massachusetts and perhaps Nova Scotia?  Seems odd the entire lot does well outdoors for Darrell especially 8 foot ones?  

What's their range in China?

johnw

[maggiepie]

Oh right, Lesley...like we're not poor enough?

Location, location, not forgetting mail orders.

Helen  -  Mail orders to Canada?  They said they were poor which leads me to think they might not be terribly interested in being bankrupt too!  

I hear our low pressure system has backed the cold up and all the way down to South Carolina.  When the dam bursts we're in for a nasty coldsnap.

johnw

John, I wasn't thinking of the mail order for me, too rich for my blood 
Re the weather, have been wondering why our temps have been so mild lately, pity there's been no sun.
Hopefully January will be almost over before it gets here  ( chance would be a fine thing)

[Philip MacDougall]

Tony, I'm curious as to where your E. latisepalum came from. I've never seen the true thing and pics are scarce on the web. Your plant looks like an upright form of what I received from Chen-yi as latisepalum but is probably E. wushanense. Stern describes E. latisepalum as being few flowered, on unbranched flower spikes , occasionally having side shoots with 2 flowers, typically 8 or so flowers on the spike. I'd like to see the ones Darrell sells.

[Philip MacDougall]

A few more pics. Epimedium x warleyense,  Epimedium pubescens, Epimedium saggitatum,  Epimedium grandiflorum v. higoense, Epimedium dolichostemon,  Epimedium grandiflorum Rose Queen, Epimedium zushanense .
One is off topic but I like this picture and wanted to post it. Has anyone else tried Thalictrum diffusiflorum. Philip

[Philip MacDougall]

Fini. Too many of Epimedium brachyrhizum

[Paul T]

Great pics, Phillip.  The majority are species I've not seen before, although I grow Rose Queen and x warleyense.  I doubt many of them would even be in Australia.

[TheOnionMan]

A few more pics. Epimedium x warleyense,  Epimedium pubescens, Epimedium saggitatum,  Epimedium grandiflorum v. higoense, Epimedium dolichostemon,  Epimedium grandiflorum Rose Queen, Epimedium zushanense .
One is off topic but I like this picture and wanted to post it. Has anyone else tried Thalictrum diffusiflorum. Philip

Really nice pics!  On Thalictrum diffusiflorum, how tall does it grow?  The flowers look rather large as thalictrums go.  Is it from China?

I'm jealous seeing E. zushanense, stunning purple flowers.  Darrell had it listed in their 2009 catalog, but at $65 I decided to pass on it, give it a couple years until the price comes down.

I also don't have E. saggitatum, but wondered why, as it has been in Darrell's list in the past.  Just checked an older catalog, and there's a poor picture of it that makes it look ugly, probably why I passed on it and opted for other selections.  But I see from your photo it's a rather nice species, flowers like brevicornu but with nice spine-edged leaves.  I'm putting it on my want list.

Interesting catch on the possible E. latisepalum identification.

[maggiepie]

I am really enjoying this thread, thanks everyone for the pics.
It is great to see the different colours in the leaves  as well as the flowers.
Would most of these be hardy in zone 4?

Phillip, how hardy is the Thalictrum diffusiflorum?
It's beautiful.

[Katrin Lugerbauer]

Thank you very much for your great photos, I really enjoy them! There are some Epimediums I've never read or heard of, thanks for showing.

Does anyone grow E. 'Emperor'? I got it this summer at Beeches and it's a tall plant with very big leaves but I haven't seen a photo of the flowers as yet.

Last spring a friend brought me 'Amber Queen', it's a wonderful plant and I hope it will grow well.
The second pic shows E. chlorandrum.

Best wishes, Katrin

[PDJ]

Hope this is of help I have had many epimediums and other plants from Long Acre Plants http://www.longacreplants.co.uk/
 and all have been excellent.