THE elf flower does not exist. You have to choose a variety if you want to fill your garden with this ground-covering perennial. But which varieties have proven themselves and are recommended in the long term?
Which elf flower varieties are recommended?
Popular elf flower varieties include 'Rose Queen', 'Elf Queen', 'Ruby Crown', 'Lilofee', 'Orange Queen' (large-flowered elf flower), Epimedium versicolor 'Sulphureum' (sulphur-colored elf flower), Epimedium alpinum (Alpine elf flower) and the red elf flower.
Deciduous and wintergreen varieties
The summer green varieties of elf flowers come predominantly from East Asia. They shed their leaves in colorful shades in the fall. The wintergreen varieties find their home in Europe and as far as the Middle East.
The Large-Flowered Fairy Flower
The best-known species is probably the large-flowered elf flower. It is wintergreen. It includes the following attractive varieties with their flower and leaf colors:
- 'Rose Queen': Dark pink flowers, green leaves, flowers reminiscent of orchids
- ‘Elven Queen’: White flowers, brown-green leaves
- 'Ruby Crown': Violet-red flowers, brown-green leaves
- ‘Lilofee’: Pink to purple flowers, dark green leaves
- ‘Orange Queen’: light orange flowers, green leaves
The Sulfur Fairy Flower
The sulfur colored fairy flower is also called Epimedium versicolor 'Sulphureum'. True to its name, it impresses with sulphur-yellow flowers. Added to these advantages are their reddish spring shoots and bronze-colored winter foliage.
The Alpine Fairy Flower
Another species is Epimedium alpinum (Alpine fairy flower). In contrast to the majority of the other species, this one is also suitable for sunnier locations and can cope well with drought at times. The flowers are light purple and have white spots inside. The wintergreen foliage is colored dark green.
The Red Fairy Flower
The red elf flower is also very popular. Its foliage is summer green to winter green and yellow to orange in autumn. What's special about it: It has red leaf veins. The clump-forming growth reaches a height of 25 cm. Each panicle produces up to 30 white-pink to white-red colored individual flowers.
Other interesting species and varieties
Further interesting for hobby gardeners are:
- Epimedium perralchicum: 'Frohnleiten' with golden yellow flowers, wintergreen and red-edged foliage, tends to overgrow (a lot of cutting necessary)
- Epimedium pinnatum: 'Elegans' with yellow flowers; 'Warleyensis' with copper-gold flowers
- Epimedium pubescens: ‘Snowflakes’ with white flowers
- Epimedium cantabrigiense: Red-yellow flowers, up to 40 cm high
Tip
Regardless of what species or variety it is, elf flowers are considered slightly poisonous.
