Give your beds A LIFT!
Epimediums are said to help cure everything from hay fever to erectile dysfunction… and they’re pretty, too
Displayed between garlic capsules and iron tablets in the A-Z of supplements in herbal remedy stores will be something called horny goat weed. This curiously named alternative medicine has been used for centuries to treat everything from osteoporosis to hay fever, but it’s best known as a treatment for erectile dysfunction and low libido in men.
This ancient form of Viagra derives from the roots of a group of spring flowering perennials known as epimediums. They’re largely native to China and Japan, with a few species found in other parts of Asia and the Mediterranean, where they grow in woodland, scrub, rocky places and alongside streams.
Their name is likely to be unfamiliar to all but the most fanatical gardeners, and I can certainly attest that epimediums are a rare sight in outdoor spaces.
However, these undemanding, charming plants deserve to be more widely grown for their sprays of star-shaped flowers, attractive foliage and ability to prosper in either full or dappled shade.
Most epimediums are at their floral best during April and May. As well as looking good out in the garden, now is the perfect time to move container-grown specimens into the ground — they will establish readily in cool, moist soil before the arrival of summer brings hot and dry weather.
A member of the berberidaceae family of plants, epimediums come in evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous forms.
Wild types first arrived in Europe during the 19th century, and new ones are still being discovered in remote parts of China.
Breeding work on the 60-odd known wild species has resulted in close to 300 named varieties. The flowers are generally small but carried in large numbers on wiry, 8in-18in tall, upright or slightly arching branched stems.
The blooms are very intricate in their structure, consisting of four small inner petals in the centre and four outer petals (technically modified leaves called sepals). In between are four more sepals that sometimes extend into curved projections called spurs — outer sepals and spurs often contrast
with other parts of the flower to give a two-tone effect.
While their flowers are the main draw, many epimediums have striking foliage. Their round, narrow or heart-shaped green leaves are often splashed red, bronze or copper as they emerge and take on similar tones in autumn. Perhaps the showiest are those with leaves washed red in spring apart from veins that remain green, giving them a marbled appearance.
In my garden, Epimedium ‘Spine Tingler’ produces highly attractive sprays of sulphur yellow flowers between March and May, but I actually bought this 2008 debu
tant for its amazing foliage. Epimediums are best in dappled shade, although they’ll cope with full shade and a few will even tolerate a sunny position, such as Epimedium x versicolor and its varieties. These perennials are often suggested as a solution for sites with dry soil, but they will grow more vigorously and look healthier if set in a sheltered spot with moist, free-draining soil.
They are great for planting under trees and shrubs, setting alongside paths, dotting into rock gardens and growing in a woodland-style bed and border.
Prior to planting, improve the soil with garden compost or leaf mould, and then pop specimens in holes that are two times as wide as the container and the same depth.
For maximum impact, take a cue from garden designers and set plants in odd numbers, in groups of at least three. Give them plenty of room to spread by spacing about 12in apart.
As for looking after them, water newly
planted ones regularly during the first growing season, especially during dry spells.
Evergreen types will retain their foliage over winter but the leaves will end up
looking tired and tatty, so shear everything back to just above the ground to encourage a flush of new foliage that will create a more fetching backdrop for their flowers.