Scorn (Epimedium) they hide the distant beauty, which in recent years has been subject to increasingly admirers not only from the gardeners. Their fine elegant flowers on thin wire stems may have colors from pure white, through the powder's pink, pastel violet to bronze and various shades of yellow. Skornice, however, brings an effect not only in spring during the flowering period, But also when sprouting leaves at the end of winter and autumn, When do most deciduous species have interesting coloring (for example Epimedium grandiflorum, E. × red, E. versicolor or E. ‘Enchantress’). In this diverse family we can also find species of evergreen, grown, but also species with creeping rhizomes, that can densely cover a large area of the flowerbed. If we add a great willingness to cross each other, We will create a wide range of perennials for use especially in the shadow and in the undergrowth of the trees.
Well -known
Rod Škornica (Epimedium) includes about 54 described species, that comes mostly from northeast China and Japan. A smaller part of the species has its homeland in the mountains of the Mediterranean (Balkan, Turkey, Algeria) and in the Middle East. These species are most widespread in our culture and valued mainly for their resistance, toughness and tolerance to the dry shadow.
Between these durable, ground -colored species belong to Epimedium pinnatum ssp. Colchicum with leaves green over the winter and yellow flowers or Epimedium perralderianum, which is evergreen and blooms bright yellow flowers.
Furthermore, a number of interspecific hybrids such as very drought are resistant Epimedium × red with crimson red and pastel yellow flowers or Epimedium × perralchicum, whose cultivar ‘Frohnleiten’ with flowers bright yellow are frequently used perennials. Both species are evergreen with creeping rhizomes, that creates a dense vegetation.
Epimedium × versicolor It also benefits in a relatively dry shadow and its cultivars ‘sulphureum’ a ‘Cupreum’ bloom pastel yellow and copper color. More orange -copper shade has a cultivar Epimedium × Warleyense 'Orangekönig', which, although growing grimly, but lush, and can create an effective cover of soil and stay green all winter.
This brings us to the second group of Škornice, that have rather a clumpy growing character. This includes especially species Epimedium grandiflorum large, strikingly colored flowers in many different cultivars ('Lilafee', ‘Elfenkonigin’ 'Rubink Crones') or Epimedium diiphiplum, which was the first Japanese species imported to Europe in the year 1829 or a hybrid Epimedium × youngianum S kultivary ‘niveum’ a ‘Roseum’. These species come from Japan and require rather neutral to slightly acidic and well -permeable soils with plenty of moisture, and mainly organic ingredients. Will appreciate mulching with leaflet or composting bark to increase humus in the soil and slight decrease in pH.
New Chinese species
Few family experienced in modern history the discovery of so many new species as a genus Epimedium. After the release of the Mao Ze-Tunga mode, China has become more accessible not only for botanical expeditions. V 80. Years have taken Japanese botanist Mikinori Ogis and British botanist and gardener Roy Lancaster to the distant valley of China and discovered 16 new types of scorn, they brought to the western world. The British botanist William T has made a significant time to describe and classify the nomenclature. Stearn, whose publication about the family Epimedium came out in the year 2002, year after his death and involves all 54 the species described so far including 29 newly discovered in China.
These include, for example, Epimedium pointed, E. wushanense ‘Caramel’, E. ogisui, E. lust, E. × Omein ‘Akane’ or E. ‘Heavenly Purple’ and other cultivars.
All species from China and Japan require a soil rich in humus and organic component, They do not mind slightly alkaline or slightly acidic soil, But shallow soils on limestones may be a problem. They are not very widespread and proven in our country yet, But for example, in Britain they are increasingly used in larger gardens.
Cinnamon under each tree
Although it may seem, that scorpions are fragile beauties, The opposite is true. Verified and long -used species are slowly growing into a beautiful carpet of interesting, finely jagged leaves, which either lasts long until winter green or in the autumn will color and hold brown leaves until spring. It is recommended to cut unsightly leaves in early spring, To make the beauty of flowers and newly budding leaves stand out better. However, be careful, Old leaves work for the plant as protection against late frosts, So it is advisable to protect the shallow spice rhizomes with a new mulch from a leaf or a composting bark. Skornice can occasionally torment the larvae of lobes or hares, to which young leaves taste. There is sometimes a virus from the disease, which causes stains and deformation on the leaves and is transferred mainly. They do not need more scorpion and will make you happy all year round.