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Epimedium

Epimedium grandiflorum produce mounds of attractive leaves and showy racems of spring flowers in white, yellow, pink, and purple. This perennial is grown by gardeners for its delicte sprays of spring flowers, their attractive foliage, and their hardiness.

Epimedium is also called barrenwort and bishop's cap. The blooms have eight sepals, four of which are petal-like, and four petals that are hooded or spurlike. The leaves emerge with or slightly after the flowers. Each leaf consists of several heart -shaped leaflets. New leaves are bright green and sometimes marked with bronze or maroon. The leaves turn dark green and more leathery as they mature. The leaves are attractive from early spring into late fall.

Epimediums require partial to full shade and rich, evenly moist soil. They will grow in sun, but the soils must be rich and consistently moist. Established plants will tolerate dry shade and can compete with the roots of established trees. Epimediums are rhizomatous. So, they tend to spread slowly to readh a mound of from one to two feet wide.

I suggest cutting back the old foliage on your Epimedium in late winter. This easy chore, will enable you to see your new spring flowers without old foliage.