Epimedium - various threads gathered together here

[ChrisB]

Paul,  I've just been up to Edrom Nursery today and bought that Epimedium from them.  It was all alone and full of flower so I just couldn't resist it.  Good to know it will survive a sunny place, means it will survive dry too I assume?  I have nothing but dry here.... Also bought one of their new Japanese imports to try, and E. alpinum.  Now I have to sort out a place for them to grow...

[Lori S.]

The epimediums I am growing manage here with 16" of annual precipitation, plus 3-4 yard waterings through the summer.

[Paul T]

Luc,

Mine have been through -8 or -9'C without any problems, and we did used to have wet winters as well so that shouldn't be a problem at least to that degree. 

Chris,

Yes, hot and dry suits the spot mine is planted in, although it does get dripper watering during summer and some hand watering.  The edges of the clump would get virtually no articificial water though as they're against the mulch path.  They would be drier than the rest of the clump but have never suffered.  It is trying to invade the path as well (another of the reasons I need to remove a goodly portion of it!)

[Olga Bondareva]

gote

My friend's acuminatum was shaded in the winter but it was just planted out that autumn. That could be a reason.
My epimediums are shaded and usually covered by snow. This winter we had -12 without snow. I do not know how do my plants do - my garden is still under snow.

As I know loss of leaves is not breaking for epimediums.

[Maggi Young]

E.  x warleyense 'Orangekoenigin' happened to be on the Lamberton stall at the Perth Show today.... so I bought it 

[ChrisB]

Good decision Maggi!  Its a lovely thing.....

[gote]

A friend of mine is looking for a "different" ground cover for his front garden which is in full sun though.
Would any Epimedium be suitable or do they all want shade ? 

I do not know how it does in sun but if you are looking for a ground cover, E pauciflorum will do the job. the foliage is about 10cm high and it forms runners.

By the way BEWARE it may become a weed. Mine is swamping several plants and I have to dig it all up separate and replant.

Vinca minor will do well also in sun and has nice blue flowers in the spring. - and easily becomes a weed

Göte

[gote]

gote

My friend's acuminatum was shaded in the winter but it was just planted out that autumn. That could be a reason.
My epimediums are shaded and usually covered by snow. This winter we had -12 without snow. I do not know how do my plants do - my garden is still under snow.

As I know loss of leaves is not breaking for epimediums.

Olga Ståle,
acuminatum perhaps dislikes moving in the wrong season?? Which takes me to next question If so, what is the wrong season? 

I usually cut down the leaves in early spring of some like rubrum and warlayense. By the way, does any one know the origin of 'Orangekönigin'? It looks like the warlayense I have. Sometimes nurseries give common forms fancy names in order to make them sell better. Actually I think the red form (which I do not have) has abetter colour.

Göte

 

[Olga Bondareva]

Chris and Maggi

I bought it

Also bought one of their new...

Oh, we made a good advertising. 

gote

Right season is spring (here). Sometimes I dig epimediums during the summer or in early autumn. It's OK if snow covers new plantings.

I cut down leaves of E. rubrum, E. alpinum, E. youngianum before winter. They are OK.

E pauciflorum
By the way BEWARE it may become a weed. Mine is swamping several plants and I have to dig it all up separate and replant.

Yes againe.  I use E. pauciflorum to cover Cypripediums and others shady plants with "long legs". Pretty small thing with attractive leaf.

[ChrisB]

Gote - the one I bought as x warleyense is a lot more orange coloured than the one posted on this thread, which looks decidedly red, so I think I got the orange form rather than the real thing.  Its still a stunning plant, and is growing in the most inhospitable place, under a pine tree in dry, sandy soil. It took a while to establish but this year it has come on in leaps and bounds.  I'm sure if grown in better soil it would become a thug....

[Hans J]

here some new flowers :

Epimedium grandiflorum 'Rubinkrone'
Epimedium grandiflorum 'Shiho'
Epimedium grandiflorum v. higoense 'Bandit' ( not with typical leaves )
Epimedium X youngianum'Niveum'

[gote]

Gote - the one I bought as x warleyense is a lot more orange coloured than the one posted on this thread, which looks decidedly red, so I think I got the orange form rather than the real thing.  Its still a stunning plant, and is growing in the most inhospitable place, under a pine tree in dry, sandy soil. It took a while to establish but this year it has come on in leaps and bounds.  I'm sure if grown in better soil it would become a thug....

Chris,
I bought mine as colchicum but with the help of Stearn's book I found out what it was. It also fits the pictures of the orange one here perfectly. I grow it in a better place than you describe and it certainly seems to thrive but it expands slowly unlike pauciflorum.

My question about the name is: Olga's pictures show very great difference in colour. The picture in Stearn's book looks somewhat intermediate but it could all be in the printing. Stearn gives warlayense (No Orangekönigin) as appearing spontaneously in Miss Willmott's garden Great Warley before 1932. He describes the colour as yellow with red veins which looks more like 'Orangekönigin' to me.
So my question is which one is Mis Willmott's one and from where comes the other? Both are obviously the result of the same cross (alpinum x pinnatum) so both can be named x warlayense followed by a cultivar name. Who put the name on the lighter one and has the darker one any cultivar name. Red queen would be appropriate .

Tricky question but important for anybody (read me  ) who wants to buy the darker one via mail order or when not in flower.

By the way. Is there a mail order nursery that can supply species like stellulatum, sagittatum and platypetalum,?

Göte
 
 

[Maggi Young]

Teyl de Bordes of Lilliesleaf Nursery, Garden Cottage, Linthill, Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland TD6 9HU
has had a good number of Epimedium on his list in the past.... not sure about recently, but worth  checking with him.
telephone +44 (0) 1835 870415   I think the email is lleafnursery@aol.com   

[David Nicholson]

Long Acre Plants may be worth a look at http://www.longacreplants.co.uk/

[gote]

Thank you both 
Will check with them
Göte