Epimediums: Springing out of the Shade
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PLANT FOCUS Epimedium 'Royal Purple’ 12 Roger Hammond Epimediums: springing out of the shade All images © Hybridisation by both man and countries with one or few species nature have produced a genus include Iran, Russia, Korea and Algeria. that delivers leaf and flower power FOUR SEASONS in many shapes, sizes and colours, The species produce flowers in spring writes ROGER HAMMOND of a considerable variety of shape, The unusually shaped flowers and wiry size and colour. Yellow and white leaf and flower stems, which are very are predominant, but many shades strong for their diameter, are what of pink through reddish pinks to attracted me to epimediums when a purple are found within the Japanese horticulture student at Writtle College species Epimedium grandiflorum and in 1970. sempervirens. Hybridisation in nature and by man has given the gardener a I bought a few over the next 30 wider colour palette including orange years until Linda, my wife, and I went and many beautiful bicolour and to a spring show at the RHS Halls tricolour flowers. in Westminster. On the Blackthorn Nursery stand we were confronted The leaves continue the interest into by Epimedium the like of which we’d the autumn through the deciduous never seen. The dozen mainly new varieties with their distinct shapes species, recently introduced from that turn yellow brown colours. Some China, were so different they looked evergreens produce new leaves of eye- exotic, tropical even. catching colours of solid blotched or We were hooked and bought one of mottled red that turn green after a few each that had not already sold out. weeks. Some retain their interesting Over the next few years we visited foliage throughout even the harshest Blackthorn for its early spring open winters. The leaves turn brilliant red in days and a few other nurseries, now a few varieties in the winter but need also defunct, such as Washfield more sun and a slightly drier spot to Nursery, that sold Epimedium. Our rate do this. of progress was such that in August WHO SAID DRY SHADE? 2013 our epimediums were awarded We have had mixed success in their National Collection status. cultivation. Our most significant FAMILY TIES lesson is that despite being frequently Epimediums are perennials, many of recommended for dry shade, this is true which are evergreen, and provide very only for a few, tough old hybrids and a good winter interest. They belong couple of species. Even these must be to the Berberidaceae family and in well watered until fully established. a few Chinese species you can see, Of course “dry shade” is as inexact as in the shape of the leaves, a strong the length of a piece of string, but we resemblance to Mahonia (also in have lost more plants by allowing them that family). to dry out (especially in a pot) than Their natural distribution is confined we have from overwatering. A severe to the Old World, with by far the most drying out can be terminal. species being found in China. Japan is the next richest in species. Other » Continued on page 14 13 PLANT FOCUS Epimedium �Amanogawa� A THRUST ABOVE We do not prune most of our evergreens Another much recommended because the new flowers and leaves cultural operation is to cut off the are generally thrust above the clump, previous year’s foliage as the new while the older leaves tend to collapse shoots appear. However, this is outwards. Keeping the previous year’s sound practice for only a few tough foliage is an insurance against slug old varieties such as E. × rubrum, and snail damage of new growth or a where the flowers may open below particularly hard spring frost that can the canopy. occasionally damage or kill the shoots. WHEN DECISIONS ARE MADE, PLANT HERITAGE IS THERE Last April seven horticulturists New AGMs are: E. acuminatum with considerable knowledge of ‘Night Mistress’; E. ‘Amber Queen’; Epimedium met at our house on E. ‘Domino’; E. fargesii ‘Pink behalf of the RHS - its representative Constellation’; E. franchetii 'Brimstone was there to chair the meeting - to Butterfly';E. grandiflorum ‘Akagiza discuss and agree Awards of Garden Kura’; E. grandiflorum ‘Circe’; E. ‘Kodai Merit. We had previously reviewed Murasaki’; E. ‘Pink Champagne’; E. 360 plants, recommending whether ‘Red Maximum’; E. ‘Royal Purple’; or not any were suitable for new E. ‘Spine Tingler’; E. ‘Winters End’. AGMs. Of those, 13 were put forward The following retained their AGMs: for AGMs; three retained their AGMs; E. pinnatum subsp. colchicum; E. × and five were rescinded because rubrum; E. × versicolor ‘Sulphureum’. they had been superseded by better, The following lost their AGMs: E. newer varieties, they were weak grandiflorum; E. grandiflorum ‘Nanum’ growers or their naming had become and ‘Rose Queen’ and ‘White Queen’; hopelessly confused in the trade. and E. × youngianum ‘Niveum’. 14 PERFECT COMBINATIONS At one time we felt the Japanese RECOMMENDATIONS species E. grandiflorum and its • My favourite: Epimedium ‘Red cultivars and hybrids were not Maximum’ suited to our garden as they rarely • Linda’s favourite: Epimedium thrived. More recently, we have been grandiflorum ‘Marchant’s growing them under the light shade Twin Set’ of Japanese maples with much more • Fantastic leaf colour: Epimedium success, though we are going to have myrianthum to prune some maples to make sure the shade is not too heavy. • Strongly coloured flowers: Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’ We remove the trees’ foliage in November to allow snowdrops and • Dainty flowers: Epimedium fargesii ‘Pink Constellation’ Cyclamen coum planted between the epimediums to flourish; we have also inter-planted with Roscoea, which push excellent new varieties from deliberate up through the Epimedium canopy to crosses, but random cross-pollinated flower in summer through to autumn. plants can also be distinct and Our advice is to give Epimedium a garden worthy. moist but not waterlogged soil, rich in It seems at long last epimediums may organic matter. I bet you’ve heard that be receiving the recognition they guidance before. deserve for being beautiful and useful garden plants. I can’t wait for the day CROSS PURPOSES some of the AGM varieties are for sale Epimediums are easily propagated by in my local garden centre. division either in late summer or early spring. They are readily grown from The author is the holder of the reference seed; they are self-sterile but freely Collection in Essex cross with other species and varieties. A horticultural Collection is held at RHS Breeders have recently produced Wisley near Woking, Surrey Epimedium ‘Pink Champagne’ Epimedium ‘Spine Tingler’ 15.