Northwest Blooms · Groundcovers
Epimedium grandiflorum 'Queen Esta'
Queen Esta Barrenwort
- Family
- Berberidaceae
- Height
- 12 to 18 in
- Width
- 18 to 24 in
- Flower color
- Soft lavender to pale purple with long, graceful spurs
- Foliage color
- Medium green with reddish to bronze new growth, often developing red tones in cooler weather
- Bloom time
- Mid to late spring
- Light
- Partial shade to full shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low; shear old foliage to the ground in late winter before new growth emerges
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 5 to 9
- Wildlife
- Bees, early-season pollinators
About this plant
Epimedium grandiflorum 'Queen Esta' bears elegant, star-shaped flowers in rose-pink to lavender tones, highlighted by slender spurs that extend outward from each bloom. The blossoms rise above heart-shaped foliage that emerges with bronze and copper shading before maturing to deep green, forming a refined, layered groundcover.
Blooming in mid to late spring, this cultivar originates from garden selections of Asian species. It is well suited to woodland gardens, shaded borders, and underplanting beneath trees and shrubs, where its graceful flowers and handsome foliage provide lasting texture and soft seasonal color through the spring months.
Works well in
Woodland Gardens · Under Trees · Borders · Pollinator Gardens
Companion plants
Hostas · Solomon's seal · Lungworts · Wild gingers · Coral bells · Lily of the valley
Design tip
Repeat this elegant groundcover along the front of shaded borders to create a continuous layer of attractive foliage beneath taller perennials. The repeating drifts tie individual plant groupings together, giving woodland gardens a more cohesive and thoughtfully designed appearance.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Heronswood Garden.
