Epimedium grandiflorum ‘Freya’

Barrenwort Berberidaceae

Small, beautifully proportioned and rather more glamorous than its diminutive stature suggests, Epimedium grandiflorum ‘Freya’ was raised by the renowned British plantswoman Elizabeth Strangman. It is also encountered as E. grandiflorum ‘Nanum Freya’ and E. nanum ‘Freya’, reflecting the taxonomic and horticultural confusion that has surrounded this little group of plants. 

In spring, delicate stems carry lilac-purple flowers with white-tipped spurs and white centres, hovering above fresh foliage whose young leaves glow with attractive rusty-bronze margins. The plant remains pleasingly compact, slowly forming a spreading clump rather than attempting to conquer the woodland floor.

An excellent choice for the front of a shady border, woodland garden or beneath deciduous shrubs. Give it humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil and shelter from drying winds; it is surprisingly tough for something that looks this refined.

Height: 20cm
Spread: 30cm
Flowering: April–May
Foliage: Deciduous
Hardiness: H5 (-15 to -10°C)