Epimedium campanulatum is something quite different with flowers of a very atypical shape, each one a small hanging bell formed mainly of the petals with the sepals reduced enormously. The flowers are carried 15-40 to the stem in an open upright pyramidal inflorescence.

This was the first of the camanpulate Epimediums to be discovered. What distinguishes this, and simialr species, is that the petals lack spurs. Consequently each flower is quite simple with just 4 prominent soft yellow petals. The foliage in Winter can take on a multitude of splothched shades of red and green so that they form a harlequin mosaic. Despite being known from collections in 1914, this species was only named in 1922 It was introduced into cultivation by Mikinori Ogisu (OG 93.885). Height 20cm, spreading.

Epimedium davidii has startling fat goblet shaped flowers of brightest yellow with yellow horns. The sepals are reduced to a little fleck of rusty red which is picked up by the dark red of the new leaves. The flowers are 1 1/4 inches but the ‘tube’ is flared to make the goblet shaped centre which lends the flower more weight. Originally collected by the French missionary, Pere Armand David. From mountain woods in the Sichuan province.

A relatively recently introduced species, having been first collected from the Tianpingshan Mountains in Central China in 1994. Botanically it is notable for the bristle-like hairs on the underside of the leaves, but horticulturally it is the deeply contrasting flower combination of white sepals and rich mahogany petals that really stand out. In the wild it grows in half shade along the edges of woods and close to streams. It is a fairly vigorous runner and flowers to a height of about 15cm. Named in honour of Harold Epstein, President Emeritus of the American Rock Garden Society and a lifelong grower of Epimedium. Subgenus. Epimedium, Section Diphyllon, Series B Davidianae

Epimedium ilicifolium is in many ways similar to Epimedium wushanense, but a little smaller (despite being in a different series). The flowers have petals that curve downwards in a shade of pale translucent yellow, stronger towards the centre and on the very tip. They are carried in compound pyramidal inflorescences of up to 30 flowers. The leaves are fresh apple green, paler at first, eventually developing an overlay of red blotching. They are long and narrow with a quite spiky margin.

This is another relatively recent introduction, having been collected in 1993 by the great Mikinori Ogisu and later being given his name. Mikinori Ogisu is credited with doing more to further the study of Epimediums in China than any other man. He is a great pioneering Plant Hunter and botanist who has introduced many new species and reintroduced many other only known from herbarium specimens. Epimedium ogisui is a beautiful pure white species, quite close to Epimedium latisepalum from which it differs in small leaf details. The flowers are an essay in purity, the inner petals are curved horns whose open throats overlap so that one opposite pair enclose the other, all surrounding the bright yellow anthers. The sepals are broader, with long points forming a cross in the same pure white as the petals. It flowers to approximately 30cm tall and grows in the wild at heights of about 1000m in the Sichuan province.

The flowers consist of a wide open claw of 4 petal horns that are a creamy white, becoming yellow stained towards the mouth. The sepals, which are a similar white, start curved along the petal, later flaring backwards to add more shape to the flower. The leaf edge tends towards smooth with a gently rounded curve to the narrow tip. In Winter the green remains, but is overlain with burgundy tones, especially in the veins. They open with a coppery flush. A species that shows great variability in the wild.

this is Roy Lancaster’s lovely collection of this highly variable species. The flowers have the typical heavily clawed form with a gorgeous 2 toned colouring. The Petals are a rich plum purple, whilst the inner sepals are white, flushed with mauve with a little rose and purple where they join the stem. The leaves are long and narrow with edges that are puckered giving then a slightly angular appearance. In winter many of the leaves become very striking, turning a muted orange, splashed all over with crimson. A species that shows great variability in the wild.

A lot like E.leptorrhizum’s larger cousin with flowers in a very similar colour. Each flower is 4cm across with soft pink inner sepals above strongly curved white petals which can develop a purple stain at the mouth. They are a little larger than those of E.leptorrhizum, to my eyes a slightly bluer pink and have a more pronounced colour difference between the petals and inner sepals. They are one of the earliest Epimediums into flower. Leaves emerge with a subtle rusty blotching. Originally collected under the name E.leptorrhizum, but differing in the much shorter runners.

The flowers of Epimedium chlorandrum are typical of the series, being a wide spidery cross in an almost translucent pale lemon yellow. The leaves however are something to behold, being large with three arrow shaped leaflets, apple green with a gorgeous variable overlay of maroon blotching. Two botanical details separate this species form the others in its series. The first is that the sepals are not closely pressed to the petals, but instead arch back to give the flower a little more character. The second, which you can be excused for missing, is that the pollen is green rather than yellow. This feature does however give the species its name.

Collected by the great Japanese Epimedium expert Mikinori Ogisu you know that this is going to be something good. And so it is. The new leaves are just the most lovely shades of crimson, providing the perfect foil for the bright lemon yellow flowers. It doesn’t sound special when written down, but there is just something about the way that the leaves glow that is so right. The way the petals curve inwards can give the flowers the appearance of so many spiders dangling from the arching stems, but that is to deny their undoubted beauty. The flowers are a strong lemony yellow which look absolutely great against the broad foliage. Winter leaves can colour pale ochre with dark pink veins. From Hubei and Guizhou provinces, China. Named by Professor Stearn

A lovely plant that will add charm to any woodland planting, performing well in most shady spots,but also growing in quite dry areas. The leaves consist of three long pointed leaflets with quite a rough leathery texture. They emerge a subtle rusty brown and fade sea green with a glaucous underside, slowly spreading to make good ground cover. The flowers are a true delight, pale translucent pink, curiously clawed and hanging in tight clusters. Trim off old leaves in early spring to reveal the flowers better. 15cm tall. Introduced by Ogisu fron Sichuan, China.

A lovely plant that will add charm to any woodland planting, performing well in most shady spots,but also growing in quite dry areas. The leaves consist of three long pointed leaflets with quite a rough leathery texture. They emerge a subtle rusty brown and fade sea green with a glaucous underside, slowly spreading to make good ground cover. The flowers are a true delight, pale translucent pink, curiously clawed and hanging in tight clusters. Trim off old leaves in early spring to reveal the flowers better. 15cm tall. Introduced by Ogisu fron Sichuan, China.

The flowers of Epimedium wushanense remind us of an upside down quoit board with the petals curving down at 90 degrees to the plane of the flower in a pale lemony yellow. The sepals are a small pale yellow crown. The flowers are borne on long pedicels, hanging below a long arching dark stem like so many spiders. The foliage is long and narrow, sparsely undulating with a spiny edge. When they first expand, the leaves are an ethereal pastel ochre, subtle, but absolutely lovely pale, shiny yellow-green with bronzed flush. They aren’t the striking reds and blotched blacks of some of their cousins, but there is something simply enchanting about them. One of the larger varieties with leaves up to 15cm long and flower stalks that can carry up to 100 flowers. From Wushan county in Sichuan, China.

Epimedium brevicornu is a lovely small species with long arching flower spikes that can carry up to 50 tiny flowers. Not as showy as some of its cousins, but lovely with the cloud of small stars abundantly produced over neat foliage. Each flower has a starry arrangement of white sepals with a small central nose of yellow petals, not dissimilar to those of the altogether larger ‘Wudang Star’. In this selection, collected by Mikinori Ogisu, the flowering stems are black and the newly produced leaves are a deep black-purple, providing a good contrast to the flowers. One of the most Northerly species found wild in China and consequently good and hardy.

This species was introduced in 1988, having been collected by Mikinori Ogisui as the very similar Epimedium fargesii from which it differs primarily in having shorter inner sepals. It produces airy spray of white flowers like a cloud of shooting stars. Each 2cm flower consists of horizontal white sepals and a small inner cross of red petals all above a long anther nose. The foliage is long and pointed with a less spiny edge than E.fargesii. It emerges with rich red spotting and expands as a red freckle over an ochre ground before finally ageing green.

Epimedium fargesii is an elegant plant with strong flowering stems bearing a pair of tri-foliate beautiful bronzy leaflets set amongst an elegant spray of pendulous white and violet deeply reflexed flowers reminiscent of a stellar pelargonium or miniature shuttlecock. Individual flowers are 3 – 3.5cm wide with the outer sepals faintly tinged violet creating a delicate starry effect. The inner petals are purple violet and arch back into the sepals whilst the stamens protrude, creating an ochre coloured ‘beak’. The flower stems can be between 20-50cm high. The leaves are in 3 leaflets, long, arrow-shaped and a beautiful pinky bronze when young, remaining irregularly red blotched when older. They are softly pink and serrated, thick textured and persist well into winter. The fact that the leaf edges undulate with alternate paler green spines pointing either up or down creates real texture and interest. Originally collected by the French missionary Paul Guillaume Farges in Sichuan province, China. Until dolichostemmon was discovered, this Epimedium was unique for its fully reflexed flowers.

(OG 93023) Epimedium fargesii ‘Pink Constellation’ is a selected form, collected by Mikinori Ogisu and later given a cultivar name. It is distinguished by the colouration of the flowers, being pink on the inner sepals and purple in the petals. In other respects like the species, so I have copied that description hereafter. An elegant plant with strong flowering stems bearing a pair of tri-foliate beautiful bronzy leaflets set amongst an elegant spray of pendulous white and violet deeply reflexed flowers reminiscent of a stellar pelargonium or miniature shuttlecock. Individual flowers are 3 – 3.5cm wide with the outer sepals creating a delicate starry effect. The inner petals are purple violet and arch back into the sepals whilst the stamens protrude, creating an ochre coloured ‘beak’. The flower stems can be between 20-50cm high. The leaves are in 3 leaflets, long, arrow-shaped and a beautiful pinky bronze when young, remaining irregularly red blotched when older. They are softly pink and serrated, thick textured and persist well into winter. The fact that the leaf edges undulate with alternate paler green spines pointing either up or down creates real texture and interest.

The flowers of Epimedium myrianthum variety are tiny, but more than made up for by the immense profusion in which they are produced creating a cloud of tiny butterflies. Each flower is starry and white, made up mostly of the sepal, with tiny brown incurved petals. The stamens are prominent and yellow so that the overall shape of each flower echoes a dodecatheon. The flowering stems are black, as are the buds which makes a good contrast. Unlike the flowers, the leaves are relatively large, and emerge in a fabulous bright green, heavily overlaid with deep burgundy-red.

This is the form of E.stellulatum most often grown in the UK. It was collected in 1983 by Roy Lancaster from beneath the Purple Clouds Temple on the Wudang Shan mountain in China where it was growing abundantly in and amongst rocky crevices. The sepals are long and white, the petals small and yellow making small white stars, larger than myrianthum, but not huge. They are produced in chaotic abundance creating a white cloud above a clumping rather than spreading mound of fresh green foliage.

This is a form of E, grandiflorum with a rather misleading name given the long spurred, brilliant snow-white flowers. The name refers to the pale, yellowy green leaves and the slowly spreading rhizomatous growth habit. The new leaves as they emerge have an elegant well-defined mahogany rim with red freckles. A pretty little treasure 20-25cm high by about 30cm wide for partial shade where it will not get lost in winter, it is deciduous, and its lovely Spring foliage and flowers can be fully appreciated.

(Lilac Fairy).  A mass of wiry stems support bright green oval leaves which emerge purple tinted. Over this are borne in spring lots of lavender violet flowers. the flower heads are relatively tightly packed and each individual flower is rosy violet with four narrow spurs that are tipped white. One of the German cultivars introduced by Ernst Pagels. Epimedium is one of the Japanese species and dislikes alkalinity. In Japanese its common name means ‘anchor flower’ on account of the 4 pointed flowers resemblance to a Japanese fishing boat anchor.

Epimedium pubigerum. An evergreen species with more rounded leaves than most growing to 45cm. Flowers yellowish-white with the inner sepals sometimes pale pink. The flowers are relatively small and held high above the foliage. One of the parents of Epimedium x cantabrigiense. Introduced into Britain by Ellen Willmott from a garden in Geneva. Originally from the shores of the Black Sea  across to West Georgia.

Weihenstephan is a typical, but particularly stout form of E.perraldianum. The flowers are rich yellow formed of tiny brown tipped petals and broad rounded sepals. They face outward from upright spikes whilst the new leaves emerge pale yellow-green coloured with a mosaic of red. Shiny foliage forms weed smothering spreading mats.E. perraldianum grows naturally in mountain Oak and Cedar forests in Northern Algeria and North Africa. It is very similar to E.pinnatum subsp. Colchicum, differing mainly in numbers of leaflets and its notably spiny leaf margins.

Easy to grow and highly attractive ground cover. 50cm; spreading. Leaves are an asset all year, opening with red netting, colouring rich russet in autumn and remaining all winter. A tall species with upright stems carrying many delicate orange flowers (red and yellow), which, whilst individually small, create an attracting cloud. Occurred as a natural cross in the wilderness garden of St John’s College Cambridge during the Second World War, but was only named in 1979.

A selection form the original hybrid, having large flowers and particularly bright foliage. It forms beautiful spreading evergreen ground cover even in quite dry conditions. The leaves open an attractive pale green; contrasting well with the last years foliage and having lovely red netting. The flowers are like upright spikes of glowing sunshine yellow daffodils. to see them at their best may need you to trim away last years foliage in early spring. ‘Wisley’ colours a little less in the leaf than its similar cousin ‘Frohnleiten’. 45cm. Easily grown in any good soil. ( E.perraldianum x E. pinnatum subsp. colchicum ).

(Epimedium diphyllum x Epimedium grandiflorum). A selection from the original hybrid, having large flowers and particularly bright foliage. It forms beautiful spreading evergreen ground cover, unrivalled in its ability to march on in really quite dry conditions. The leaves open an attractive pale green; contrasting well with the last years foliage and having lovely red netting. The flowers are like upright spikes of glowing sunshine yellow daffodils. to see them at their best may need you to trim away last years foliage in early spring. ‘Wisley’ colours a little less in the leaf than its similar cousin ‘Frohnleiten’. 45cm. Easily grown in any good soil. ( E.perraldianum x E. pinnatum subsp. colchicum ).

This hybrid has been known in Britain for over 150 years, but as the cross has certainlyoccurred more than once, clones offered in the trade can be varied in appearance. However all are equally delightful. The emergent leaves in spring are richly coloured russet brown with the veins picked out lime green. In Autumn the leaves colour once again. The flowers come on branching stems and have good red outer petals and lemon yellow inner ones. It is easy to grow and makes highly attractive ground cover. All in all a real treasure. 30cm; spreading.

Epimedium x rubrum ‘Galadriel’ is a form of E.x rubrum that is in essence more rubrum-y. The flowers are larger and more red, tending to lack the central yellow of the type. The Foliage is more robust and better ground cover as well. Altogether a fine variety, though why the name Galadriel was applied, she being the carrier of the white ring and usually portrayed in white is a bit of a mystery.

(E. grandiflorum x E. pinnatum subsp colchicum). Here’s something a bit different. Instead of the usual yellow tones of versicolor, this variety has strayed deep into the pink. The sepals are quite broad, rich rosy pink, fading paler as they age. The petals, which are much smaller, nestle below with a spur of rich ruby changing to yellow at the mouth. It is a good grower with leaves of russetty brown over winter and as they emerge. Compared to the other versicolor types, the flowers give the general impression of being a bit rounder and neater.

(E. grandiflorum x E. pinnatum subsp colchicum). This variety is very similar to Discolor, differing largely on the coppery colour of the inner petals (which can be slight !) In Winter the leaves are more green than its close cousin too. In the name of economy I’ll repeat the description for ‘Discolor’ here : This is like a subtle reminder of Autumn in the Spring with the leaves and flowers toning together in perfect harmony. Each flower has soft ruby sepals with smaller petals of creamy- lemon and bright yellow protruding stamens. As the flowers age the sepals fade parchment. This variety has inherited a much more deciduous constitution from E.grandiflorum.

(E. grandiflorum x E. pinnatum subsp colchicum) This is like a subtle reminder of Autumn in the Spring with the leaves and flowers toning together in perfect harmony. Each flower has soft ruby sepals with smaller petals of creamy- lemon and bright yellow protruding stamens. As the flowers age the sepals fade parchment. This variety has inherited a much more deciduous constitution from E.grandiflorum. It differs from Sulphureum in having distinctly red young foliage and rosy coloured sepals. It is also not as vigorous in growth. It is very similar to E.versicolor ‘Cuprea’, but has less colour in teh petals and richer coloured new foliage. The differences show when they are side ny side, but you might struggle to tell them apart from isolated specimens.

(E. grandiflorum x E. pinnatum subsp colchicum). This variety is very much along the same lines as its cousin Sulphureum, but a little paler and possibly more refined and even more like a diminutive Totnes Turbo. There is a little more contrast in the flower with paler inner sepals and slight ruddy shading to the tip of each petal. Foliage in Winter tends more towards the pinnatum parent and is largely evergreen. It is later in to flower than Sulphureum, so much so that they barely overlap. It has been in cultivation from before 1934, but has never achieved the popularity of Sulphureum. The young leaves are brownish.

Beautiful tough evergreen ground cover, thirving even in the dry beneath trees. The leaves open an attractive pale ochre-green, beuatifully netted with russet tones, colouring well in Autumn (more coloured than ‘Wisley’ on both occasions). Flowers are like strings of glowing small bright yellow daffodils held upright and above the foliage. A German cultivar selected by Heinz Klose, it has slightly more pointed leaves with a more toothed margin and large flowers held well up. 45cm. Easily grown ( E.perraldianum x E. pinnatum subsp. colchicum ).

The upright stems of delicate coppery orange flowers set this hybrid apart from most epimediums. They are held well up above the foliage in a warm orange haze. The leaves are apple green in a mildy spreading clump that is a little less dense than most species. Height 20-40cm in flower. Originally sent fromt Warley Place, the Garden of Ellen Willmot, to Professor Stearn as E.perraldianum when he was writing his monograph. Subsequently identified and named by Professor Stearn. for any good soil in partial shade. spring.

A Japanese hybrid which is sometimes included under grandiflorum and at other times under youngianum. Lots of small apple green leaves which retain a red edge from their initial red flush. The flowers are produced profusely in a lovely subtle shade of pearly lilac. The sepals are very prominent, shaded pink and lending the flower an almost double appearance. The petals are wide spreading with prominent tubes.

Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’ is a really showy variety that produces an absolute swarm of flowers in a lovely soft apricot colour. It is vigorous with tall upright flowering stems that produce large, well spaced flowers with petals that shade from lemon yellow at the tip, through orange to a deep but narrow red mouth. Each flower has petals that sweep back like each flower is skydiving. New leaves are heavily splashed with red as a further bonus. E.flavum x E.wushanense

Epimedium ‘Andre Charlier’ flowers are shaped like a swept back Jester’s hat, speckled orange at the centre and very tip, paling to parchment on the arms. Long spiny edged leaves, richly mottled in mahogany and green. A cross between wushanense and rhizomatosum. Very similar to Epimedium ‘Bieke’

Epimedium latisepalum x E.ogisui

Epimedium ‘Black Sea’ is a lovely vigorous variety with a form that nods more towards the European species. The leaves are large and well rounded, green for most of the year, but turning fiery red or dark smoky purple black for winter. The flowers are held well above the foliage on tall upright stems. the flower form is well rounded, made up mostly of the rounded sepals in pale lemon ochre overlaid with red stripes. The petals being much reduced, being a bright yellow nose below the sepals. The whole plant benefits from red stems on both the leaves and the flowers . E. pinnatum subsp. colchicum crossed with either E. pubigerum or E. cantabrigiense.

Epimedium ‘Enchantress’ is possibly E.dolichostemon x E.leptorrhizum. A lovely introduction from Elizabeth Strangman with flowers in a gentle soft pink, very much like its parent E.leptorrhizum. However, each flower is neater and smaller and held in an elegant arching spray. The leaves can colour a rich ruby red in winter.

Epimedium ‘Flowers of Sulphur’ is very well named as the flowers are of just that mix of pale yellow with a tinge of green that characterises that most noxious of elements. However, there the similarity ends as the rest of this plant is lovely. The flowers come in a dense, arching spike with each berberis like flower hanging most gracefully. The effect is quite showy and refined. E.flavum x E.ogisui

Jean O’Neill has flowers in one of those colours that is quite unique. The flowers are generous in proportions and production, with each being topped by off white sepals, under which curve petals which shade from dunked rich tea biscuit brown to flesh coloured at their curved tips. Young leaves are suffused with a rich tan and they colour a lovely pinky-red in Autumn, still with the darker red speckles. Raised at Spinners by Peter Chapell from Epimedium davidii seed. Possibly a cross with Epimedium acuminatum

(E. acuminatum x E. dolichostemon). A hybrid that occurred naturally in the nursery of Mr S.Yamaguichi in Japan. Lovely Bronzed evergreen leaves and large flowers in pink and purple. It has a flower shape intermediate between the parents with tightly curved burgundy petals swept back from a prominent set of yellow stamens, hooded over by pale pink sepals. It can flower up to a couple of feet in height. The winter foliage takes on lovely shades of pink and red, and most resembles the foliage of E.acuminatum, though E.dolichostemon has lent it a little more length.

( Epimedium acuminatum x Epimedium latisepalum )

Flowers  of Epimedium ‘Phoenix’ (Emperor) appear richly coloured in heavy sprays. The sepals are small and lilac, under which curve much larger petal ‘claws’, deep purple in the centre fading to near white at the curved tips.  Flower buds are particularly long and slender. New leaves are a fresh apple green, staining orangey red towards the margins and then splashed in rich burgundy. Altogether a most attractive cultivar.

Epimedium ‘Pink Elf’ is a cross between either E. brevicornu or E. pubescens with E. grandiflorum. This is indeed a very pretty elfin little Epimedium. The sepals are arched and slightly irregularly arranged over the petals and have a charming, slightly flicked up appearance. They are richly suffused with purple flecks. The petals are ruby pink with paler spurs, which sits very nicely with the bronzy new leaves. These are and extended heart shape with orangey-bronze stems. The mature foliage is evergreen, serrated and spiny, becoming flushed with orange, particularly around the margins in cold weather.

E. grandiflorum ‘Freya’ x E.membranaceum

E.acuminatum x ?

E.latisepalum x E.pinnatum subsp. Colchicum

Cc 001764. A hybrid with elongated leaflets whose edges are corrugated and tipped with irregular spines pointing in all directions like Jaws himself. As if that wasn’t fascinating enough in itself, the young leaves are an iridescent metallic bronze pink, maturing apple green and evergreen. The flowers are large, 4cm in diameter, with small sepals and curving narrow petals, pale lemon becoming richer coloured at the centre. Known in the US as Sphinx Twinkler. A collection by Darrell Probst not yet attributed to a species, possibly as yet undescribed.