Common Name: bishop's hat
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Berberidaceae
Native Range: Garden origin
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 0.50 to 0.75 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 1.50 feet
Bloom Time: April
Bloom Description: Light pinkish white
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Ground Cover
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Colorful, Good Fall
Tolerate: Rabbit, Deer, Drought, Heavy Shade, Erosion, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Culture
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. Prefers loose, organically rich loams with even moisture in part shade. Tolerates drought once established. Rhizomatous perennial, but clumps spread somewhat slowly. Unlike some other species of epimedium, the foliage of this hybrid is not evergreen.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Epimedium × youngianum, sometimes commonly called Young's barrenwort, is a cross between E. diphyllum and E. grandiflorum. It is a rhizomatous, clump-forming perennial which typically grows 6-8" tall and is primarily used as a ground cover or edger in shady or woodland areas. Racemes of short-spurred to spurless, white to pink flowers appear in spring above the foliage. Flowers bloom later in spring than most other epimediums. Compound, pale to medium green leaves with triangular to heart-shaped leaflets (to 3" long) on wiry stems form attractive foliage mounds. New leaves in spring emerge with a red tinge, mature to green and turn deep red in fall.
Genus name is of unclear origin and meaning but the Greeks used epimedion for a very different plant.
Epimediums are commonly called bishop's hat or barrenwort.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Small area ground cover or edger for shady areas. Mass in woodland gardens, wild gardens or naturalized areas. Also effective in partially shaded areas of rock gardens and border fronts. Grows well under trees. Edger for paths and walkways.