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Epimedium 'Black Sea'
Epimedium ‘Black Sea’ (Cc. 960141)
Prized for its dark, glossy, near-black evergreen winter foliage whose color change is triggered by cool seasonal temperatures. Medium-sized leaflets on 8” stems form a thick groundcover. In spring 14” flower stems rise above the foliage carrying a myriad of small, diaphanous yellow flowers with pale orange veins. Semi-spreading, by 3-5” long rhizomes. An early bloomer, with foliage 12-14" high.
Epimedium x omeiense 'Akame'
E. x omeiense ‘Akame’ Og. 82001 (Cc. 970187)
(Synonyms: ‘Emei Shan’, ‘Rigoletto’)
Mikinori Ogisu collected this clone on Mt. Emei in Sichuan, which Professor Stearn used as the type specimen for his description of E. x omeiense. The brilliant blooms have cherry-red inner-sepals and bright orange and yellow spurs. The cup is most intensely colored and edged in yellow. Open flower sprays are held above large, dark, handsome, glossy sagittate evergreen leaves that sometimes turn maroon in fall. 12-15” tall. A showy late bloomer.
Epimedium x versicolor 'Cupreum'
Epimedium x versicolor ‘Cupreum’ (Cc. 950143)
Thanks to Carla Lankow of Renton, WA for the original stock of this captivating plant. With the same parents as ‘Versicolor’, it is similar, but has a slightly deeper flower color and more intensely red spring foliage with green venation. Usually with more numerous, slightly smaller leaflets per leaf, each more angular and less rounded. Foliage to 9” and flowers to 12”. Rhizomes grow 4-5” inches/year. Semi-evergreen with deep orange to maroon fall color. An early bloomer, it is also very drought-tolerant.
Epimedium x versicolor 'Versicolor'
E. versicolor x ‘Versicolor’ (Cc. 890006)
(syn. E. x versicolor 'Discolor')
Quite rare in gardens, this has long been one of our favorite clones. Delicate flowers open a deep, rich pink-salmon, and fade over the course of several days. Large panicles of flowers hover above leaflets strongly flushed with red in spring. It spreads 4 to 5" a year forming a gorgeous mass of riotous color in spring. 14" tall. Early bloomer and drought-tolerant. Very similar to E. x versicolor 'Cupreum' in appearance and habit. Semi-evergreen.
Epimedium x warleyense
E. x warleyense (Cc. 890007)
Bright orange flowers make this evergreen sterile hybrid between E. alpinum and E. pinnatum ssp. colchicum unusual. From Miss Willmott’s garden, Warley Place, England. Sprays of small flowers float above rounded, medium-sized, bright green, rounded leaflets. Spreads 5-6" a year with an open growth habit. Foliage to 8”, flowers to 12". Drought-tolerant.
Epimedium x warleyense 'Orangekonigin'
Epimedium x warleyense ‘Orangekönigin’ (Cc. 960140)
A shade or two paler orange than E. x warleyense in bloom, and a top-notch evergreen groundcover, this cultivar was introduced by Ernst Pagels of Germany. The inner-sepals are a soft shade of tangerine traversed by darker orange veins. Shorter rhizomes (2-4") spread to form denser clumps than the straight species, more effectively crowding out weeds. Early bloomer and drought-tolerant. 8-10" tall.
