Thanks to Epimedium guru Darrell Probst for helping us get our offerings off the ground and correctly identified. Thanks to Darrell, Plant Delights Nursery now has one of the best collections of Epimedium for sale anywhere. Epimedium species will never be traffic stoppers like roses, but these woodland shade perennials are the unsung workhorses that tie the shade garden together.
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Epimedium 'Amber Queen' PP 17,197
Item #: 8191
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Epimedium 'Cosmic Stars'
Item #: 12759
Zones: 5a to 8b, possibly warmer
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 06/10/2022Sold out -
Epimedium 'Domino'
Item #: 8493
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Epimedium grandiflorum 'Circe'
Item #: 12780
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 06/03/2022Sold out -
Epimedium grandiflorum 'Dark Beauty'
Item #: 6231
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium grandiflorum 'Pink Parasol'
Item #: 8485
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 22" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 06/10/2022Sold out -
Epimedium grandiflorum 'Yubae'
Item #: 5092
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Epimedium 'Great White Hope'
Item #: 12760
Zones: 5a to 8b, possibly warmer
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $34.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 06/03/2022Sold out -
Epimedium 'Ninja Stars' PP 29,744
Item #: 15561
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $38.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium x perralchicum 'Frohnleiten'
Item #: 2984
Zones: 5b to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 07/08/2022Sold out -
Epimedium 'Pink Champagne'
Item #: 8936
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium pubescens 'Clean Hans'
Item #: 14913
Zones: 6a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium 'Songbirds'
Item #: 2201
Zones: 5a to 8b, guessing
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium sp. nov. 'Caramel'
Item #: 15626
Zones: 5a to 8b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium sp. 'The Giant'
Item #: 9317
Zones: 5a to 8b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $39.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium 'Splish Splash'
Item #: 9203
Zones: 5a to 8b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Epimedium 'Stoplights'
Item #: 12779
Zones: 5a to 8b, guessing
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $35.00Regular priceUnit price perSold out -
Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum'
Item #: 2658
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 16" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Epimedium x versicolor 'Versicolor'
Item #: 5124
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 14" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 06/17/2022Sold out -
Epimedium x warleyense 'Ellen Willmott'
Item #: 5772
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium wushanense
Item #: 5683
Zones: 6a to 8b, possibly colder
Dormancy:
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $34.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Epimedium zhushanense
Item #: 3996
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 14" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $38.00Regular priceUnit price per
More Information About Epimedium
Epimediums are easy-to-grow perennial wildflowers. They are tenacious flowering shade plants that provide a welcome first breath of spring with their airy flowers, then a solid backdrop of attractive foliage for the remainder of the growing season. Epimedium plants are used either as woodland garden specimens or groundcovers for small shady areas. As a bonus, epimediums are deer resistant.
Epimedium Varieties
We are thrilled to be able to offer several exceedingly rare epimedium plants for sale to the public that were only recently discovered and named from remote regions of Asia, along with fabulous hybrids like Epimedium youngianum and Epimedium 'Frohnleiten'. Epimedium flowers are small (largest is 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). Newly emerging epimedium foliage often has purple or brown tones or patterns which complement the flowers.
Medicinal Uses
Epimedium plants are used in traditional Chinese medicine as a treatment for a variety of medical conditions including fatigue, arthritic pain, and nerve pain. Around the world, men also buy epimedium plants to use as an herbal supplement under the name, 'horny goat weed'. Guess what it is purported to do!
Companion Plants
Try pairing epimedium in your garden with other plants with silly animal names like Bergenia (Pigsqueak), Chelone (Turtlehead), Acanthus (Bear's Breech), Cimicifuga (Bugbane) and Silene (Catchfly) to create a botanical menagerie of fun. When you are ready to buy epimedium for your shade garden (or the man in your life), check out our epimedium for sale.
Other Common Names
Epimedium is known by a variety of common names including fairy wings, barrenwort, bishop’s hat, and yes, horny goat weed.
How to Grow and Care for Epimedium Plants
When to Plant Epimedium
Most varieties of epimedium can be planted anytime from late spring once the threat of frost has passed, to early fall.
Where to Plant Epimedium
Epimediums are known as great dry shade plants but are often found growing next to woodland waterfalls in the wild. We recommend part sun to light shade with a rich, moisture retentive soil. Think woodland setting with dappled light. Plant about 12 in. (30 cm.) apart and they will eventually grow together filling the space.
Water and Soil Requirements
Most epimediums prefer a neutral to slightly acidic soil. Most important is good drainage. Water new plants regularly until they are well established.
Epimedium Flowering Times
Most species of epimedium are spring flowering. Flowering times range between early March to early May here in NC (zone 7b). See our list of relative epimedium flowering times for more precise information.
Fall/Winter Care
It is completely acceptable to trim the old foliage in late winter to make room for new leaves in the spring and to encourage additional flowering.
Pests and Diseases
Epimedium are resistant to most pests and diseases, including deer and rabbit, but can be susceptible to some plant viruses and root nematode.
Propagating Epimedium Plants
Epimediums spread via a rhizome (woody, underground plant stem) and can be divided once flowering has finished. Always leave about two-thirds of the foliage on the newly divided plant to encourage new root development.
Landscape Usage
Epimedium are one of the few perennials that can tolerate dry shade, so this really expands the possibilities in your woodland themed garden. We like using epimedium as a border plant on a woodland trail or as ground cover in a mixed shade woodland garden.
Plant Delights Nursery has a large selection of exceedingly rare epimedium plants for sale. Check out our in-depth article about fairy wings for more tips on successfully growing and caring for epimedium. Be sure to also read our many epimedium blog posts over at the JBLG.org blog.