Epimedium - various threads gathered together here

[Leena]

Last spring I lost many Epimedium flowers to late frosts, and even though this year I covered them with double fleece, I think some of the stems in bud are damaged.  Some are still coming up so I don't know for sure yet how many are damaged.
The coldest last week has been -3C with many nights -1C, so I am surprised how easily they get frost damage! Maybe ones which are later flowering (from Asiatic species) would be better in my climate (which ones would be later flowering?)
These are all my seedlings from 'Amber Queen', but one of them has showed good hardiness already last year, and this year it is also fine while many of it's siblings got damaged. Here it is this morning.

[Gabriela]

Last spring I lost many Epimedium flowers to late frosts, and even though this year I covered them with double fleece, I think some of the stems in bud are damaged.  Some are still coming up so I don't know for sure yet how many are damaged.
The coldest last week has been -3C with many nights -1C, so I am surprised how easily they get frost damage! Maybe ones which are later flowering (from Asiatic species) would be better in my climate (which ones would be later flowering?)
These are all my seedlings from 'Amber Queen', but one of them has showed good hardiness already last year, and this year it is also fine while many of it's siblings got damaged. Here it is this morning.

Sorry to hear Leena. I also have quite a few with damaged flower stems after few nights with -4C, even covered (but I used a very light fleece). Chinese species are the most sensitive and what I noticed is that the ones receiving too much sun in early spring are of course the worst damaged because they start growing too early. So, if you have the possibility to plant them under evergreen trees it would be better. (I already moved my E. acuminatum in a more shaded area)

The hybrids also did better, as a proof of hybrid vigor and maybe better adaptation to the local climate. From all hybrids there was one flowering in June last year and it is a promising trait. It is in tight bud right now, so it was not a chance happening.

I like the pink shade of your 'Amber Queen' hybrid I also have few hybrids flowering first time, a particular spider looking, cream colored I like.

[Leena]

what I noticed is that the ones receiving too much sun in early spring are of course the worst damaged because they start growing too early. So, if you have the possibility to plant them under evergreen trees it would be better. (I already moved my E. acuminatum in a more shaded area)

Thanks Gabriela, I will have to think a place for the most tender ones. Not all buds are lost, I saw today some coming up.
Mine grow in quite shady place under an apple tree, which protects them a bit.

[Maggi Young]

Great photo by  Olga  Bondareva  of the  epimediums  in flower  in her  Russian garden yesterday.....



1. Mislabled hybrid
2. E. x versicolor 'Sulphureum'
3. 'Beni-chidori'
4. E. alpinum
5. 3 forms of E. colchicum
6. 'Yokihi'
7. E. x youngianum 'Niveum'
8. E. pauciflorum
9. E. leptorrhizum
10. 'Enchantress'
11. E. pubescens
12. E. koreanum
13. E. x warleyense 'Orangekonigin'
14. E. chlorandrum
15. 'Pink Elf'
16. 'Amber Queen'
17. E. x rubrum
18. E. x cantabrigiense
19. 'Pink Champagne'
20. E. stellulatum
21. 'Rubinkrone'
22. E. brachyrrhizum
23. E. acuminatum
24. E. x perralchicum 'Frohnleiten'

[Gabriela]

Always nice collages with Epimedium flowers from Olga.

Thanks Gabriela, I will have to think a place for the most tender ones. Not all buds are lost, I saw today some coming up.
Mine grow in quite shady place under an apple tree, which protects them a bit.

I also noticed that some of mine are putting up new flower stems Leena, particularly acuminatum. I didn't think it would happen.
Because of the heat wave, the hybrid I mention to flower in June it is blooming. It cannot be blamed, with temp. above 30C!
There is more pink into the brown than the picture shows; I've started to think of a name

[Leena]

That is a very pretty Epimedium!

[Leena]

I have gotten this first plant as Epimedium x cantabrigiense. It is a bit smaller than E.alpinum, but flowers are very similar. It seems to be very drough tolerant like E.alpinum. It flowered in May.
The second picture is of a plant flowering now. There are two similar seedlings, both grown from 'Amber Queen' seeds. A friend from whom I got the seeds had also Epimedium platypetalum and I have been thinking that it must be a father to these seedlings. Flowers are small, and they haven't suffered from frosts because they come up later.

[Gabriela]

I have gotten this first plant as Epimedium x cantabrigiense. It is a bit smaller than E.alpinum, but flowers are very similar. It seems to be very drough tolerant like E.alpinum. It flowered in May.
The second picture is of a plant flowering now. There are two similar seedlings, both grown from 'Amber Queen' seeds. A friend from whom I got the seeds had also Epimedium platypetalum and I have been thinking that it must be a father to these seedlings. Flowers are small, and they haven't suffered from frosts because they come up later.

Any late flowering Epimedium sounds great Leena! I never saw E. platypetalum in real but have to say that your picture looks like the real species, considering the Epimedium monograph of Stern.
Maybe your friend also gather seeds from it without realizing? I know the saying with Epimedium being self incompatible but don't believe it entirely. Maybe some are but not all. One year I had Amber Queen setting seeds without no other Epimedium in sight and one young seedling that flowered recently is the clear image of E. lischichenii.

[Leena]

Any late flowering Epimedium sounds great Leena! I never saw E. platypetalum in real but have to say that your picture looks like the real species, considering the Epimedium monograph of Stern.
Maybe your friend also gather seeds from it without realizing?

I have been thinking the same!  It looks like E.platypetalum in the book.
Unfortunately I have lost touch of the person from whom I got the seeds, so I can't ask her. All I know is that she said she collected the seeds from 'Amber Queen' and I also have a list of Epimediums she had at the time who can be the father.

[Maggi Young]

I thought this was posted in this thread  some  years ago, but  I couldn't  find  it  with the  list!   find  it! So here  we go  again !!  photos from Olga Bondareva



1. Mislabled hybrid
2. E. x versicolor 'Sulphureum'
3. 'Beni-chidori'
4. E. alpinum
5. 3 forms of E. colchicum
6. 'Yokihi'
7. E. x yongianum 'Niveum'
8. E. pauciflorum
9. E. leptorrhizum
10. 'Enchantress'
11. E. pubescens
12. E. koreanum
13. E. x warleyense 'Orangekonigin'
14. E. chlorandrum
15. 'Pink Elf'
16. 'Amber Queen'
17. E. x rubrum
18. E. x cantabrigiense
19. 'Pink Champagne'
20. E. stellulatum
21. 'Rubinkrone'
22. E. brachyrrhizum
23. E. acuminatum
24. E. x perralchicum 'Frohnleiten'



1. 'Red Maximum'
2. E. diphyllum dwarf white
3. E. flavum
4. 'Akane'
5. E. pubigerum
6. 'William Stearn'
7. E. macrosepalum
8. 'Korin'
9. 'Azusa'
10. 2 forms of E. colchicum'
11. E. lishihchenii
12. E. dolichostemon
13. E. 'Queen Esta'
14. E. setosum
15. E. x versicolor 'Cupreum'
16. 'Domino'
17. Lable is destroyed (Somewhat like 'Mugo Van Pen')
18. 'Stormcloude'
19. E. x rubrum 'Sweetheart'
Ranzania japonica as a navel.

[shelagh]

FABULOUS.

[Leena]

Thank you Maggi!

This Epimedium is one I have grown from seeds, and I like it a lot. It's foliage stayed good all winter and spring (which is unusual here), and I didn't even cut it down in early May when I saw flower stems starting to develop, because I thought that the foliage would protect them from frosty nights. I didn't protect them in any way so maybe the foliage did it, or they are hardy, because it is now flowering. The new foliage is nice colour, but the flowers are below it. Still, this is now one of my favourites!

[Leena]

This spring there were many seed grown Epimediums flowering, I will post pictures of them later in the autumn when there is more time, but now I have to show this one.
All others have finished flowering, but this one still has flowers. It is ex 'Amber Queen' from Gabriela's seeds and seems to be a very long flowering kind:).
It grows in a difficult place to photograph, in the back of the bed, so I have to move more to the front so that flowers are easier to admire.

[Gabriela]

I like a lot your almost white Epimedium Leena.

It is very exciting to see your dark colored seedling flowering. It should be from the same generation with the one I named E. 'Raspberry Fudge' last year. Pictures are taken but yes, no time to post much in the summer. It also reflowered in June, actually it seemed like flowering non-stop from May to mid-June. The reflowering character is inherited from Amber Queen I think, which most times reflowers a bit in the summer.

Here it is, E. 'Raspberry Fudge'. I thought it looks delicious hence the name.




This picture was taken in the second week of June! Today there are 2 flowers left but we've had heavy rain downpours in the last 2 days.

[Maggi Young]

Plant Heritage has announced  their Congratulations to the 2021 winner of the Brickell Award, celebrating outstanding contributions in cultivated plant research
Roger Hammond has collected and studied  Epimedium for 30 yrs, amassing one of the largest collections in the country


Pic: E. mikinorii cc R & L Hammond

http://www.epimedium-collection.com