Epimedium grandiflorum Pretty in Pink - Fairy Wings

Epimedium grandiflorum 'Pretty in Pink' is a hybrid variety which produces large flowers in two shades of pink with white spurs, on beautiful semi-evergreen foliage of changing colours.  In mid and late spring, these flowers appear well above the young foliage, tinted with bronze-purple. The foliage then becomes bright green in summer before taking on its bronze-purple hues in autumn, in harmony with the colours of the season in the garden. Although it is a bit slow to establish, it is excellent groundcover for semi-shade at the foot of shrubs , in light, rich, and not too dry soil. It tolerates drier soil once established.

Epimedium 'Pretty in Pink' is a large-flowered variety belonging to the botanical family of Berberidaceae, which also includes Berberis, Mahonia, and Nandina. It is a hybrid obtained in 2012 by T. Avent. Epimediums are plants which appreciate damp and humus-rich soils, under trees and shrubs. Epimedium grandiflorum grows in a mat-forming clump that slowly forms hardy and robust groundcover. Between May and June, the plant produces a profusion of very elegant flowers which are of a good size compared to the vegetation, with large incurved petals reminiscent of amusing "spider legs." These "legs" are nectar spurs that attract pollinators. The young heart-shaped foliage develops in late winter, taking on superb bronze and purple hues. As the weeks go by, it turns vibrant green, brightening the undergrowth, before developing colourful hues for autumn. The 'Pretty in Pink' variety stands out with its large flowers in a soft pink colour with a darker raspberry pink centre and white spurs. The habit is quite compact, and the plant reaches about 45 cm (18in) in height and 70 cm (28in) in width.

Robust, adaptable and hardy, Epimedium 'Pretty in Pink' is not very demanding: any reasonably well-drained soil in light shade, not too dry or too chalky, suits it well. Like all Epimediums, it takes some time to establish (expect 2 or 3 years for the clump to really start spreading), but it proves resistant to occasional drought once well rooted. It can therefore be planted at the base of your deciduous or even evergreen shrubs. However, it is a shame to confine it as a utilitarian groundcover plant. Planted alongside other varieties such as Epimedium Lilafee, as well as with perennials like Hosta Halcyon, the candelabra primrose Primula pulverulenta, or the rarer Saruma henryi and ferns like Dryopteris cycadina, this Epimedium creates a superb mass of light foliage.