Epimedium - various threads gathered together here

[cohan]

McMark-do you know if they are planted on the berms for a particular cultural reason? or is that just the way these growers like to display them?

[TheOnionMan]

McMark-do you know if they are planted on the berms for a particular cultural reason? or is that just the way these growers like to display them?

There are possibly a number of reasons why Darrell grows his plants on fairly steep slopes. 
1.  I uploaded a diagram that illustrates growing space can be increased up to 50% or more by using steep berm plantings.
    (imperial dimensions shown in my diagram are approximate only, for illustrative purposes)
2.  Easier access to the increased growing space.
3.  Increased soil and air drainage.
4.  Good way to optimize "crappy" rocky clay soil, by mounding it as steep as one can, digging the paths gives fill for the mounds.
    (Darrell does not amend the soil, he grows in the lousy soil as is).
5.  The two sides of the berm can supply microclimates, e.g. more sun on one side than the other.  Also creates wind baffle effect.
6.  Taking a hint from nature, where he's seen eppies growing wild, often on very steep mountain slopes.

[Tony Willis]

The question of sun and shade is relative. The ones that have originated in the west such as from N Africa and Turkey are rampant here in sun which is not particularly strong for example that experienced by Paul and also grow in shade. The asian ones are better in light shade and moist ground and I have not yet had a rampant one.

[Olga Bondareva]

Mark,
Your pictures are beautiful, your plants are gorgeous! I look and look again at the graceful flowers and ornamented leaves and my heart is full of admiration! Thank you very much for showing them! Wish I lived in US… I would have good source of plants.

[TheOnionMan]

Mark,
Your pictures are beautiful, your plants are gorgeous! I look and look again at the graceful flowers and ornamented leaves and my heart is full of admiration! Thank you very much for showing them! Wish I lived in US… I would have good source of plants.

Thank you Olga.  That means a lot coming from you, as your photos are truly outstanding.  Since I'm fairly new to this forum, I've been lurking and catching up on some of the threads, and your images of Fabulous Fungi belong in a large format coffe-table book, and what can I say about your photos of plants in the Caucausus, Daphne species and variability, and color forms of Epimedium pinnatum ssp. colchicum, etc, amazing all of them! 

[TheOnionMan]

Epimedium timeline:  E. sempervirens 'Violet Queen'

Here are a series of photos documenting this partcular epimedium from April - December.  I draw from photos over several years, so the size of the plant may look different depending on the photo, but the goal here is to show early flowering and foliage emerging, the bountiful floral display on this selection (on a mature plant, such as the photo taken on 4-29-2009), the brilliant color of spring foliage, sprinking of bright new foliage in the start of a "second foliar flush", and ending up with the smoldering fall color that lasts well into winter.

The transition from photo 5 & 6 beautifully illustrate the transformation from a flowering plant, to s foliar plant, where the brilliantly color foliage rises above the fading flowers.

[gote]

and I have not yet had a rampant one.

Then get yourself E pauciflorum
Göte

[fleurbleue]

Young foliage very interesting ! thanks Mark 

[annew]

Wow! That is a beauty - what flower power!

[TheOnionMan]

and I have not yet had a rampant one.

Then get yourself E pauciflorum
Göte

Other rampant ones:  rhizomatosum, koreanum, alpinum... only grow in wild areas where they can spread if you must grow them (I have each of them).  I also recently added E. fangii in 2008, supposed to spread on 8" (20 cm) stolons, so I'm prepared to move it some place where it can spread, but so far it hasn't done much... beautiful small evergreen leaves and shy (so far) with the yellow flowers that resemble E. davidii.

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Mark for this wonderful series of E. s. 'Violet Queen.' I really like this way of showing the plant throughout its whole growth cycle as it means so much more than just some pretty flowers at the height of its bloom time. I hope you will be able to show others in the same way.

[TheOnionMan]

Thanks Mark for this wonderful series of E. s. 'Violet Queen.' I really like this way of showing the plant throughout its whole growth cycle as it means so much more than just some pretty flowers at the height of its bloom time. I hope you will be able to show others in the same way.

Thanks Lesley,

Yes, I was planning doing a similar timeline on a "threesome" of eppies that are growing side by side along a path, all of which happen to go through quite a metamorphosis of interest.

[Stephen Vella]

Mark nice purple foliage on the grandiflora hidoense bandit hybrid seedling is that what is featured in the pic?

and nice to see the collection at Darrell Probst's and Karen Perkin's Garden Vision..interesting how they are grown on sloping ground..aesthetically showing off their foliage and flowers more..very nice!

[TheOnionMan]

A few Young ones  (E. x youngianum cultivars)

All of the "youngianums" (hybrids between grandiflorum and diphyllum) are dainty little clump-forming plants.  Young spring foliage is often flushed or speckled with color, and a second leaf flush after flowering also shows some foliar interest. While generally rather small plants, the second leaf flush in June can give the clumps significantly more height and width.  Here's a sampling:

1.  E. x youngianum 'Fairy Dust' - Darrell Probst 2004 introduction. Pale but perky flowers, coffee tinged foliage.

2 & 3.  E. x youngianum 'Tamabotan' - originally from We-Du nursery, known under 3 other names.  Has the effect of double flowers because the petals and sepals are similarly sized.

4 & 5.  E. x youngianum 'Marchacos Sprite' - D.Probst 2003 introduction, good bright pink cutie.

6 & 7.  E. x youngianum 'Azusa' - a personal favorite with largish white flowers, red sepals and stems.  Fall color is rich mottled red.

8  E. x youngianum 'Hanagaruma' - floriferous light pink

[fleurbleue]

Small beauties  I can't wait for other species  Their pictures are seldom available