Propagation

No epimedium can pollinate itself and seed ‘true’. This means that all seedlings are hybrids. To prevent odd seedlings emerging in the crown of the plant, they should be deadheaded after flowering. Instead, they can be propagated by division. Those plants that happily spread or clump up in dry shade should be lifted with a garden fork during a spell of damp weather, after they have finished flowering. Two forks are inserted back-to-back and the root ball prised apart. An old pair of secateurs is used to cut the connecting rhizomes. The Chinese species, their named hybrids, and named E. grandiflorum should also be lifted after flowering and deadheaded. Their roots are teased apart by hand, severing any connecting rhizomes with a pair of old secateurs. The divisions are replanted in a shady place, with plenty of leaf mould or garden compost added around the plant. They are then watered in well. Watering is continued throughout the summer.