Barrenwort (Epimedium)
Great variety to try--clumping or creeping, taller or short...
I only have one

I am particularly impressed with how well it does in dry shade and someday I'll get some more

@aspenhill has created an 'epimedium walk' in her woodlands, perhaps she can tell us more about these wondrous plants and share pictures?

I have been very impressed with the Epimedium Rubrum in my garden. Grows in poor dry shade and manages to return every year! It has bronzey red foliage in the spring and fall cooler temps that is very attractive. I would like to add some other varieties, but most are only borderline hardy for me. I am considering Lilafee and Sulphurium.

Thanks for starting this, Dirt. I was thinking of Epimediums when I saw the question. My fave is 'Niveum' - small, dense plant holding white flowers above the foliage. Very sweet.

Hi Dirt. Yes, I LOVE epimediums for the shade garden. I've had a few plants, maybe five or so, for years that have done really well. Hard to find locally though. Last winter while thinking about garden plans, I found Garden Visions, a mail order source that specializes in them. I splurged and ordered quite a few and they became the foundation for a new garden bed for the path that cuts through the woods from the driveway to the pond, calling it my Epimedium Walk. The plants were nice and healthy, but small as mail order plants usually are. I'll have to see if they make it through the winter and if they do, hopefully I'll get a few blooms this spring. They'll need a few years to reach maturity, but I'm hoping to keep growing the collection each year. I love the dainty fairy like look of the blooms, but I also like the foliage. Another big plus - deer seem to leave them alone

These grow very slowly for me, but a lovely plant.

I have no idea where the common name barrenwort comes from--sounds so ugly. But I guess it's not as bad as horny goat weed, rowdy lamb herb, and randy beef grass which I am just guessing come from the most touted herbal use
anyway,
Yes, it is a difficult plant to find locally--many very appealing cultivars available otherwise though.
Terri, your path will be amazing

'Niveum' is cute looks like a star performer

This is one of my favorites. I'm growing only about 10 epimediums right now, of 4 different species, but I hope to replace many other shade plants with epimediums this year. They're ideal for my garden: The gophers don't want them, the snails don't damage them, and they grow happily in dry shade.

I can highly recommend Garden Visions for anyone looking for a wide variety of epimediums. Last year I ordered close to 30 different cultivars and that just scratched the surface of what they have to offer. These are photos of the first epimediums that I found locally which have done so well for me and led to me wanting more. The first one is either 'Lilafee' or 'Rose something or other' - got it long before I started marking which plants went where - and the second one is 'Niveum'.

@dirtdorphins, the term barrenwort came from its medieval uses to improve with fertility. In Chinese medicine, it's actually called Horny Goat Weed, because it supposedly helps with your libido!

I'm a huge fan of epimediums myself. I'll be looking for evergreen varieties to add to my shady front yard this year.

This really is a very underused plant. Very healthy and no pest problems whatsoever here.

The blooms aren't big, they certainly aren't long lasting, but they are fantastic when viewed close. Lovely foliage as well.

I only have a single plant of what I believe is Epimedium × rubrum. I had it for many years and it does grow very slowly, but that also means it's very low maintenance and that is a really good thing. It has surprised me with its drought tolerance - I really didn't expect it to be as though as it is. That said, when I finally get around to replanting and dividing mine I'll try to spoil it a bit to see if I can get it to grow at a bit faster rate.

I received a small plant several years ago in a secret hosta swap. I didn't even know what it was called until last year! I will definitely add more to my gardens.

I have a few of these plants in my garden and they have been there for years with little or no special care. Always a pleasure to see in the spring. They however are hard to photograph because the flowers hang down and are low to the ground.


AS for the name :when a plant ends in wort it often indicates it's usefulness as a medicinal herb.
Barrenwort is so named because it use to be thought to cause barrenness in women.