Epimedium

I can't believe I have not blogged about Epimedium since May 2008.  I felt for sure I had touched on this plant since starting Planted Cloud.  In any case, I was in Dumbarton Oaks a few weeks ago and was struck once again at how lovely the fall color is on this herbaceous groundcover.

Back in 2008, I did touch on the medicinal history for Epimedium -- the common name is barrenwort, and it was presumed that ingesting this would help with impotence, thus solving the 'condition' of barrenness.

I'm not naming a species here, as there are over 60 in cultivation.  Most commonly however would be E. x rubrum.  Below is one such species in the spring.  You can see how strikingly different even the greens are among these two specimens in spring and fall.  Regardless of species, Epimedium usually has chartreuse new leaves that are somewhat soft in texture.  By autumn, the leaves become more leathery and darker green.