Epimedium - various threads gathered together here

[Leena]

Some pictures of my seed grown Epimediums from last early summer.
First three pictures of a plant grown from E.stellulatum seeds. Maybe it has had pollen from some other plant?
Very nice.
The third picture is Epimedium lischichenii cross poll with E.acuminatum, it has the darkest new foliage than any other of my Epimediums.

[Leena]

The first three pictures are of a plant ex 'Amber Queen'. It was a good plant because it started to flower not too early, and flowering lasted more than a month. There were still flowers in it in the end of June.
Then two pictures of M1 which is a very good plant, and flowers freely every year. If it flowers well after this winter, it is very cold hardy, too. It survived winter 2015-16 which was also cold without snow in the beginning.

[Leena]

M4 has been also a good plant, shorter than M1 but increasing well and starting to flower a bit later, so it is not so prone to freezing it's buds in late frosts.
M11 was a good also, nothing special about it.
M2 has flowered already in three years. It is also a good plant and in many years has had also some flowers in the autumn. The only minus are green new leaves.

[Leena]

Some plants flowered for the first time this year. They had nice brown or spotted new leaves, but coincidence or not, they are more prone to frost damage in buds, so I have to protect them in cold nights. We'll see how they cope with this winter.

The fourth picture is most likely E.platypetalum, or very close to it,
and the fifth plant is different than others in that it starts to flower the latest in June, and it's flowers are quite small and it is a smallish plant.

[Leena]

I like so much the variety which I have gotten in plants grown from seeds, most are from 'Amber Queen', and there are still many seedlings still too young to flower:).

[Leena]

I forgot a picture of my Amber Queen' in early June last summer.

[Hoy]

You have a nice collection of Epimediums, Leena.

I have tried Epimedium from seed, and they grow nicely as seedlings, but when I plant them in the garden they disappear. The reason is mostly slugs.

[Gabriela]

All beautiful Leena.

Most of my seedlings from E. stellulatum that made it to flowering looked like yours. I admit I threw away some of them; the foliage is nice but I don't have space for all. There are others still to flower.

The ones ex. Amber Queen, must be crossings with E. acuminatum or something similar. They are very handsome.
I particularly like the ones with pink shades to the flowers.

Trond: sorry to hear it. They must eat them when they have the very soft foliage in the spring.

[Leena]

Gabriela,
it is good to know that yours are similar, and in fact I think they are prettier than E.stellulatum in books.

I also like the ones which have pink in the flowers, and I'm still evaluating them to see which ones are most winter hardy/bud hardy and flower best,
but nevetherless I keep them all.  It is very hard for me to throw plants away, I have the same "problem" with Hellebores. I will move the best ones to to best places where I can admire their foliage and flowers best:).

Trond, here slugs haven't eaten my Epimediums, maybe I have just been lucky. Fingers crossed. This winter surely has killed many slugs, even if also some plants.

[Rick R.]

As I looked through your epimedium pics, Leena, they  flowers are quite pretty, and I was also marveling at your photography since I have always had a tough time snapping good shots of epimediums.  I went back to look at my epimedium photos, and well, I know I deleted a lot of them, but I guess I do have soem nice ones to share...
Epimedium 'Beni Goromo'
Epimedium brevicornu
Epimedium 'Flamingo Dancer'

[Gabriela]

What I like about E. stellulatum Leena is that the  flowers are abundant and the overall look of a cloud of flowers.
I have a hybrid from about 4-5 years ago which has his own place in the garden. Not in full flower in the picture but you can see it has a lot of buds. It is also more resistant to the late frosts, a good quality.


This is a new one from this spring when part of the inflorescences were destroyed by cold. I'll have to watch it again next spring.


But, I still like better the E. stellulatum


Here's another hybrid with its place; yellow flowers not significant but with gorgeous foliage in the spring, so is a keeper.

[Gabriela]

As I looked through your epimedium pics, Leena, they  flowers are quite pretty, and I was also marveling at your photography since I have always had a tough time snapping good shots of epimediums.  I went back to look at my epimedium photos, and well, I know I deleted a lot of them, but I guess I do have soem nice ones to share...
Epimedium 'Beni Goromo'
Epimedium brevicornu
Epimedium 'Flamingo Dancer'

Nice Epimediums Rick! Beni Goromo has exquisite foliage.
E. brevicornu is also nice despite the small flowers, just like E. stellulatum they make up with the abundence.

[Rick R.]

I haven't grown from seed on purpose, but I do get a few seedling volunteers now and then.  Nothing 'worthy' has come of them, though.

Epimedium x rubrum
Epimedium x youngianum 'Kozakura'
Epimedium cultivar name lost
Epimedium 'Yachimata Hime'
Epimedium 'Amber Queen' - marginally hardy here.  I had it for 3 years.

[Rick R.]

Epimedium 'Beni-Goromo' -November foliage
Epimedium brachyrrhizum
Epimedium davidii - love the spiky foliage on this one, too.
A seedling from E. 'Niveum' volunteered among Carex nigra

[Rick R.]

Epimedium pauciflorum
Epimedium 'Brni'kujaki'
Epimedium lishihchenii