Epimediums - Fairy Wings

Tough, Easy-to-Grow Perennials for the Shade Garden

By Rose Rodriguez Published August 27, 2013 Updated June 27, 2022

Image of Epimedium grandiflorum 'Dark Beauty'

Thanks to the plant collector Darryl Probst, Plant Delights Nursery has assembled one of the best collections of Epimediums (aka Fairy Wings or Horny Goat Weed) in the U.S., including the colorful Epimedium rubrum, Epimedium grandiflorum, and Epimedium sulphureum. Fairy Wings are shade perennials that do not demand to be the center of attention, but instead quietly tie together the woodland garden. Epimediums are easy-to-grow and bloom in the early spring with clouds of tiny little flowers in a variety of colors. Epimediums are not showy like a Cimicifuga or Dicentra, but play a more supporting role in the garden like Aspidistra or Chloranthus.

Fairy Wings can be used either as single specimens or as groundcovers. In addition, epimediums are deer-resistant. We like to tuck them in around larger plants in our shade garden as a supporting player.

We are thrilled to be able to offer some rare Epimedium species from Asia, along with some fabulous hybrids. Epimedium flowers are small and airy (largest in Epimedium grandiflorum) but profuse and colorful with colors ranging from white to yellow (Epimedium sulphureum), pink/red (Epimedium rubrum) and bi-colored (Epimedium epsteinii and Epimedium accuminatum). We also offer Epimediums with colorful marroon or reddish leaves.

Welcome to Plant Delights Nursery at Juniper Level Botanic Gardens. We are a private research and display botanic garden located near Raleigh, North Carolina (USDA Hardiness Zone 7b). Our retail mail order division allows us to make the best perennials from our trials available to gardeners around the world, some of which were developed here, some from our plant explorations, and others from breeders around the world. Between 1988 and 2010, Plant Delights Nursery introduced over 500 new perennial plants to US horticulture. In 2002, we were honored to be recognized by the American Horticulture Society for our lifetime of work in commercial horticulture. This image gallery is but a sampling of the great perennial plants available for gardeners around the world. We do not carry all plants pictured at any one time, but since our mission is to educate and inspire, we hope these images and the linked articles below will expand your garden horizons and interest. You will find an array of other interesting information and fascinating perennials throughout our website...thank you for taking time to visit.

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