All flowers
Barrenwort Wikimedia Commons
Berberidaceae

Barrenwort

Epimedium grandiflorum

Patient endurance.

Family
Berberidaceae
Genus
Epimedium
Native to
Japan, Korea, northeast China
Bloom season
Spring
Type
perennial herb
Height
8-16 in
Sunlight
shade to part shade
Soil
moist, well-drained
Water
moderate
Hardiness
5-8
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Its other common name, 'horny goat weed,' comes from a Chinese legend about a goatherd noticing increased mating after his flock ate the leaves.
  • The flowers resemble tiny columbines or the bishop's mitre, earning yet another name: 'bishop's hat.'
  • Heart-shaped young leaves emerge with bronze tints before maturing to green.
  • It thrives in dry shade where almost nothing else will bloom — a prized solution for under-tree gardens.
  • Chinese herbalists have used Epimedium roots for over 2,000 years as a tonic herb.

Color meanings

0

resilience

1

delicate strength

Uses

  • shade gardens
  • groundcover
  • herbal medicine