Epimedium, The Randy Perennial

Here is one of the mounds of epimedium sulphureum along the front walk of my home. I love this plant. I three short years it has colonized a shady area of my front yard and helped to transform rockhard soil into rich loam. It dies away completely every winter--but hangs on well into the fall--only to explode each Spring with these amazing clusters of buttery yellow blossoms, followed soon on by light green leaves tinged with rusty red edges and veins. By mid-summer these become a rich dark green for the rest of the year.

The plant also goes by a lot of common names and two of my favorites are Horny Goat Weed and Rowdy Lambs Herb. Apparently, members of the ovis aries family find eating it an inspiration to randy behavior!