Red Barrenwort (Epimedium alpinum 'Rubrum')

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Partial Shade to Full Shade
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 2 -45.6 °C (-50 °F) to -42.8 °C (-45°F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 9a
Plant Height:	8 to 12 inches (20-30cm)
Plant Spread:	12 to 18 inches (30-45cm)
Leaves:	Good fall color Unusual foliage color Semi-evergreen
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Bi-Color: Red and white
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Spring
Underground structures:	Rhizome
Uses:	Groundcover
Resistances:	Tolerates dry shade
Propagation: Other methods:	Division
Parentage:	Epimedium alpinum x E. grandiflorum

Common names

Red Barrenwort
Bishop's Hat

Photo Gallery

Location: My garden in Ontario, Canada
Date: 2022-05-21
With euphorbia First Blush - and dandelion!

Uploaded by Vals_Garden

Location: Riverview, Robson, B.C.
Date: 2010-05-07
4:03 pm. The stunning reddish leaves enclose light green veining

Uploaded by HemNorth

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Apr 27, 2011

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2020-05-02

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: Apple Valley MN
Date: May 11, 2020

Uploaded by crawgarden

Location: Indiana Zone 5
Date: 2010-04-13

Uploaded by gardengus

Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum
Date: 2018-05-06
This epimedium will grow over the still blooming flowers.

Uploaded by LorettaNJ

Location: Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2023-05-09
Red Barrenwort (Epimedium alpinum 'Rubrum').

Uploaded by janelp_lee

Location: Riverview, Robson, B.C.
Date: 2009-05-10
5:48 pm. The blossoms peek out from under the generous canopy of

Uploaded by HemNorth

Location: Northern Illinois (Zone 5a)
Date: 2014-05-04

Uploaded by Lyshack

Date: 2011-05-05
These plants love dry shade.

Uploaded by carolyn22

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: May 7, 2011

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: From my collection. Poland.
Date: 2019-04-23

Uploaded by Orsola

Location: From my collection. Poland.
Date: 2022-05-01

Uploaded by Orsola

Location: At a local nursery
Date: 2013-04-26

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Location: Frelinghuysen Arboretum
Date: 2018-05-06
As a ground cover

Uploaded by LorettaNJ

Uploaded by MaryDurtschi

Uploaded by Orsola

Uploaded by Orsola

Location: Bordine's Greenhouse, Brighton, MI
Date: 2009-04-11

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by treehugger

Location: Corner rock garden
Date: 2016-05-06

Uploaded by foraygardengirl

Location: Oxfordshire, England
Date: 2017-05-13
an easy shade plant

Uploaded by cliftoncat

Uploaded by Orsola

Uploaded by Orsola

Location: Oxfordshire, England
Date: 2016-05-12

Uploaded by cliftoncat

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2016-04-19
5:26 pm. Bishop's mitre or hat - An unusual flower structure.

Uploaded by HemNorth

Uploaded by Joy

Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2019-05-08

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: Indiana Zone 5
Date: 2010-04-22

Uploaded by gardengus

Uploaded by sherrilosee

Uploaded by Joy

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Feb 6, 2012
Winter color

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Orem, Utah
Date: 2012-04-20
At Sunriver Gardens

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2010-04-18

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Indiana zone 5
Date: 2013-05-18

Uploaded by gardengus

Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah
Date: 2012-04-17
In my garden

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Manitoba, Canada
Date: 2015-07-20

Uploaded by DebbieC

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Comments:

Posted by gardengus (Indiana Zone 5b) on Jun 18, 2013 6:57 PM concerning plant:

This plant has been in my garden for several years. Always a pleasure to see in the spring. One of the first shade plants to show, and the leaves have a good color.
No need for extra care here.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Mike (Lower Hudson Valley, New York - Zone 6b) on Aug 24, 2014 8:49 PM concerning plant:

I planted Red Barrenwort as a groundcover in the dappled shade of my New York garden under the canopy of a towering New Dawn climbing rose, where it was very slow to spread. It is semi-evergreen through the winter, but by early spring the leaves are dried, brown, and tattered-looking. For that reason they need to be cut back and removed for appearances' sake, before new foliage re-emerges. For a groundcover, this has seemed like high maintenance to me, but since it never really spread beyond the small space where I planted it, I came to think of it as just another perennial that needed an early spring clean-up as the new growing season began.

Reply to this comment
Posted by sherrilosee (Bloomington, IN - Zone 6a) on Aug 18, 2012 8:00 PM concerning plant:

Shade and drought tolerant - ALWAYS looks great!

Reply to this comment
Posted by CarolineScott (Calgary - Zone 4a) on Nov 23, 2016 9:20 AM concerning plant:

I did not know that the common name for Epimediums was Barrenwort-----
searching for Epimediums does not give me the Barrenwort data?
Is there a way to have the Latin names searchable too?

3 replies

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gardengus	On May 2, 2014	Bloomed

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Epimedium Red Barrenwort (Epimedium alpinum 'Rubrum')

Epimedium
Red Barrenwort (Epimedium alpinum 'Rubrum')