The kind of plant epimedium is a group of species described as evergreen ground cover species. They are native to forested areas of the Asian continent and parts of the Mediterranean.
The most characteristic of the genus epimedium is the spectacular flowering that appears in springa, growing in many areas, including shady areas and areas near groups of trees.
the whole environment is covered with a carpet of flowers, creating a great ornamental impact in the garden. These species work very well used as plants to cover bare ground surfaces, especially in shaded areas where other plants do not admit it.
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Characteristics of the genre epimedium
Almost all species of the plant genus epimedium present heart-shaped or arrow-shaped leavesa, with characteristic red markings.
They produce flowers in the spring, each of them with 4 petals, and when they are open they have a curious butterfly shape.
epimedium It covers a wide range of colors in its flowering, with white, yellow, pink, orange and even purple tones.
main varieties of epimedium
to exist 63 species of epimedium, each distinguished by a group of tones in its flowers. The best known are:
- epimedium X perralchicum: yellow flowers and bronze leaves that cover the whole garden in spring and summer.
- epimedium ‘Rosy Champagne’: Evergreen variety with pink flowers and bronze colored leaves.
- epimedium “Queen of Amber”: amber-colored flowers that last through spring and much of summer.
Epimedium × rubrumflowering plant, grown in the Botanical Garden of the University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.care guide for epimedium
In general, all Epimedium plants are easy to maintain and its growth is hardy.
Varieties that grow naturally in the mediterranean decor They are evergreen and keep their leaves all year round.
These varieties are even more hardy and tolerates drought conditions common in summer.
In our garden, it is advisable to look for an area where there are enough trees that generate shade, since these are the ideal conditions for epimedium prosper.
Ideal location and lighting conditions
epimedium grows optimally grown in a semi-shaded or partially shaded area, that’s why we noticed that they usually grow in Mediterranean or Asian forests, sheltered by tall trees.
To have to avoid growing them in full sunsince their flowering is impaired, they dull the bright colors of these plants and the plant suffers, especially with intense heat.
temperature and humidity
epimedium runs smoothly in a wide temperature range and even different humidity ranges.
It does not tolerate high heat if it is not grown in shady places, sheltered from the sun.
Ideal soil type
A loose, dry soil It brings together the ideal conditions for the development of these ground cover plants, including the limestone and rocky terrain typical of many Mediterranean areas.
They are plants adapted to drought conditions, although they do need some moisture in the soil and partially shaded environmental conditions.
In terms of pH, like most plants, they thrive best in a range 5.5-7.5, slightly acidic, as this is where the nutrients are most readily available to the roots. In this article, we tell you how to measure soil pH in a simple way.
water needs
Even though epimedium to be tolerant and to survive in summer drought conditions, if we want to cover the ground and cover everything with a mantle of flowers, we need provide minimum watering frequency.
It is usually watered only when the soil is obviously dry, always avoiding adding too much water at once and causing excessive water accumulation.
The best way to provide water is by sprinklerssince it covers large areas with a single network of diffusers.
In general, it is watered 2 to 3 times a week, short waterings of 30 to 40 minutes, in spring and summer., preferably use sprinkler irrigation equipment.
How is it multiplied?
As many other ground cover plantsI say divide by rhizome and slowly cover the entire surface that we give it, something similar to what happens with the different types of mint.
If we want to do this operation on a small scale, we just have to select a group of these plants and separate them, plant them in different areas and wait for nature to do the rest of the work.
When dividing, always check that there is a minimal root development in each bunch of plants, guaranteeing the success of the graft. It’s interesting add extra water to improve the implementation of epimedium on the new ground.
Use of fertilizer
epimedium It has an average nutrient consumption, with a higher demand in early spring, before flowering. If we grow it in the garden, it is recommended provide an NPK solution with a preference for nitrogen at this time, both supplied in the form of granules, distributed over the entire surface, and directly into the irrigation system.
In addition, it is very good for it to increase the fertility of the soil with the addition of organic matter or well-decomposed compost, at the rate of 2 kg/m2 of surface.
After rejuvenation waist It is also worth adding fertilizer to obtain a rapid growth stimulant.
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- Contents: 1 x COMPO Novatec universal blue fertilizer, 5 kg
In case you decide to use this granular fertilizer, the recommended dose for this group of flowering ground cover plants it is 0.5-1 kg/m2.
Additional Care Tips
rejuvenation waist
To perennial varieties grown in the Mediterranean Intense pruning suits them very well for rejuvenate stems and encourage future greater flowering.
This work is done in late winter or early spring, before the appearance of these flowers.
It is usually pruned a few centimeters from the ground, without any concern because they regenerate quite easily and, although they grow slowly, you will enjoy spectacular flowering in a few months.
Culture in pots and planters
epimedium gives us the possibility be grown in pots and plantersunder conditions similar to how it would be grown in soil.
We can search universal substrate as compost for our ground cover plants, watering moderately to avoid stagnations, and only when the substrate dries out.