Plant Min Zone: 5a
Plant Max Zone: 9a
Sunlight: Part Sun, Shade, Deep Shade
Water / Rainfall: Low, Average
Soil Quality: Poor, Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Summer
Flower Color: Yellow, Pink, Red, Mixed Colors
Berry / Fruit Color: None
Spring Foliage Color: Green, Bronze, Reddish Green
Summer Foliage Color: Green
Fall Foliage Color: Green
Evergreen Foliage: Some
Winter Interest: Some
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: High
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: Medium
Wind Tolerance: Medium
Poor Soil Tolerance: Clay Soils, Rocky Soils, Shallow Soils
Height: 0.5' - 0.75'
Width: 1' - 1.5'
Growth Rate: Slow, Extremely Slow
Service Life: Extremely long: over 20 years
Maintenance Need: Low
Spreading Potential: Extremely Low
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to Ground in Early Spring before New Growth: Has Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Small Grouping of 3-5, Medium Grouping of 5-10, Mass Planting of 10 or more
Best Side of House: East Exposure, North Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Root-Bound Soils Under Tree, Survives Severe Drought, Top of Retaining Wall Locations
Ornamental Features: Long Lasting Fall Color, Multiple Seasons of Interest, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: Groundcover
Possible Pest Problems: Weed Competition, Foliage Disease
Plant Limitations: Slow to Reach Mature Size
Barrenwort (Epimedium) features compact dainty mounds of green to colored weed-resistant foliage. Wispy flowers appear above emerging foliage in mid-spring. Improved breeding has resulted in many different flower colors even including orange. Semi-evergreen foliage can sometimes look bedraggled by late summer if there is too much overhead watering and humidity. Barrenwort prefers average to dry garden conditions and even thrive and dry shade. Plantings can thrive for decades if in the right spot; there is no such thing as overcrowding for Barrenwort. When planted in mass, growth is slow at first but eventually a cake-like rhizome system will form and completely smother out any weeds and compete well with trees for water and nutrients. While barrenwort can tolerate full sun, they prefer part to full shade. Sun burning is possible with temperatures over 100° and there are better plants to use in hot areas. Due to slow spreading growth, you shouldn't leave very much room in-between barrenwort plants or you will be waiting many years for the patch to fill in. Weeds can be a problem in that open area between plants if spacing is too wide. We recommend 9-12" spacing and use for small nooks in the shade garden. If planning for a larger area, still figure on the tight spacing but allow for a higher budget that you will consider a permanent investment. Barrenwort is a real trooper for the dry shade garden!