Epimedium grandiflorum Red Beauty - Fairy Wings

Epimedium grandiflorum 'Red Beauty' is a variety of Epimedium with many, reliable large, colourful flowers. This small shade-loving perennial has foliage that changes colour throughout the seasons and spring flowers that range from pink-violet to mauve, with pale pink to white spurs. These infinitely graceful flowers are gathered in small clusters, very visible against the foliage. The foliage starts off bronze and purple in spring, turns dark green in summer, and then takes on beautiful red tones in autumn before disappearing. Epimediums bring life to partially shaded areas of the garden like few other plants can. They thrive for many years in well-drained, moist soil.

Belonging to the Berberidaceae family, 'Red Beauty' Epimedium is derived from, among others, the Epimedium grandiflorum, a species native to northern China. This delightful hybrid variety is sometimes marketed under the name 'Yubae'.  It is a rhizomatous plant that establishes itself quite quickly, forming a dense cushion, 30 cm (12in) tall, spreading very little, occupying only 30 cm (12in) of ground. It produces delicate small flowers in late spring (usually in May), about 3 cm (1in) in size, hanging downwards, bicolour, with a shape reminiscent of columbines. They consist of 4 petals ranging from pink-fuchsia to violet, with lighter long spurs, perched on slender and flexible stems. It is from this elegance and delicacy that it gets its name "Fairy Flower". Its foliage is mostly deciduous (evergreen in mild climates) and is composed of toothed leaflets that are a vibrant green in summer, taking on a beautiful bronze-red in spring and red at the end of the season.

The Fairy Flower thrives in cool conditions and tolerates root competition from other plants, making it suitable for the base of trees and shrubs. It is a plant for light woodland, hardy down to -15°C (5°F), and prefers humus-rich soil, although it adapts to almost all ordinary soils. 'Red Beauty' Epimedium is more attractive when scattered in sparse clumps than as ground cover, and is a useful plant for shaded areas that are often neglected. It would be a shame to limit it to a utilitarian ground cover role: when accompanied by Hepatica nobilis, Ferns, Hostas, shade-loving perennial geraniums (nodosum and macrorrhizum), Foxgloves, Candelabra Primroses, and sweet woodruff, the Fairy Flower will create a superb mass in light shade.