Product Description
Epimedium 'Dream Catcher' PPAF (30)ct Flat.
Epimedium 'Dream Catcher' is a captivating Barrenwort cultivar that lives up to its name, bringing a touch of dreamlike beauty to the shade garden. This variety stands out with its large flowers and exceptionally long flower stems, ensuring a prolonged and eye-catching display in spring. The blooms feature rosy red sepals that gracefully transition into large, bright yellow wings, creating a striking and cheerful color combination. The bright green leaves develop a moderate bronze coloration in cooler temperatures, adding further visual interest. Like other Epimediums, 'Dream Catcher' is a durable and critter-resistant plant, capable of thriving in dry shade and bringing a touch of elegance to even the most challenging garden spots.
'Dream Catcher' forms a delicate yet resilient clump of foliage, typically reaching 18-24 inches in height and spreading 24-36 inches. The leaves are a vibrant green and lance-shaped, developing a subtle bronze tint that intensifies in cooler weather. The flowers are borne on exceptionally long, slender stems that hold the blooms well above the foliage. Each flower is intricately formed: the rosy red sepals give way to large, bright yellow wings, creating a striking contrast. This plant is evergreen, providing year-round foliage interest in milder climates.
- Foliage: Bright green, lance-shaped, with moderate bronze coloration in cooler temperatures. Evergreen.
- Flowers: Rosy red sepals with large, bright yellow wings.
- Bloom Time: Mid-Spring to Late Spring, for many weeks.
- Growth Rate: Slow.
- Critter Resistant: Deer Resistant, Rabbit Resistant.
- Seasonal Interest: Evergreen foliage.
- Fragrance: Not specified, generally not a primary feature of Epimedium.
- Other Features: Drought tolerant once established, easy to grow, excellent ground cover, attractive foliage, suitable for mass planting or as a specimen.
- Height: 18.0-24.0 Inches (45-60 cm)
- Spread: 24.0-36.0 Inches (60-90 cm)
- Hardiness Zones: 5, 6, 7, 8
- Flower Color: Yellow/Gold Shades, Multicolored (red and yellow)
- Foliage Color: Green shades
- Sunlight: Part Shade (4-6 hours direct sun) to Full Shade (< 4 hours direct sun)
- Water Requirements: Low Water Needs, Average Water Needs
- Soil Quality: Average Soil Quality, Fertile Soil Quality
- Soil Chemistry: Acidic Soil (pH < 7.0), Neutral Soil (pH = 7.0)
- Bloomtime: Mid Spring, Late Spring
- PP36549: Plant Patent Pending (now granted as PP36549)
Epimedium species are native to woodlands and mountainous regions of Asia (particularly China, Korea, and Japan) and parts of Europe. They thrive in shaded, often rocky or sloped areas, which contributes to their adaptability to dry shade conditions.
Landscaping Design Tips
Epimedium 'Dream Catcher' is a versatile and beautiful plant for shade gardens, offering both delicate beauty and exceptional resilience.
- Dry Shade Master: This is one of the few plants that can truly thrive in dry shade, making it ideal for planting under large, thirsty trees where other plants struggle.
- Woodland Gardens: Its naturalistic form and preference for shade make it a perfect fit for woodland gardens, where it can naturalize and create a soft, ethereal carpet beneath trees and shrubs.
- Ground Cover: Plant 'Dream Catcher' en masse to create a beautiful, durable, and deer/rabbit resistant ground cover, especially in sloped or difficult-to-mow shaded areas. Its evergreen foliage provides year-round interest.
- Border Plant: Use it to define the edges of shaded borders, providing a delicate texture and early spring color.
- Asian Garden Style: Its fine features and elegant form fit well into Asian-inspired garden designs, contributing to a sense of calm and tranquility.
- Eclectic Gardens: 'Dream Catcher' can be incorporated into eclectic designs where its unique flower colors and texture can provide a surprising element.
- Specimen Plant: A well-established clump of 'Dream Catcher' can serve as an elegant specimen plant in a prime shaded spot, allowing its intricate flowers to be admired up close.
- Underplanting: Excellent for underplanting taller shade-loving plants like Hostas, ferns, or Astilbes, providing a low layer of foliage and early spring blooms.
Hardiness
'Dream Catcher' is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 8, indicating its ability to withstand a range of winter temperatures.
Planting and Cultivation
- Location: Choose a shady location, from part shade (4-6 hours of direct sun, preferably morning sun) to full shade (less than 4 hours of direct sun). Once established, it is remarkably tolerant of dry shade, making it ideal for planting under large trees.
- Soil: Epimedium prefers rich, moist, woodland soils with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. However, it is highly adaptable and will grow in a wide range of well-drained conditions. Though it tolerates poor soil quality, incorporating organic matter like compost will benefit establishment and vigor. Good drainage is essential.
- Planting:
- Dig a hole wide enough to accommodate the roots comfortably.
- Remove the plant from its container and gently loosen any circling roots.
- Place the plant in the hole so that the crown (where stems meet roots) is at or just slightly below the soil surface.
- Backfill with soil, gently tamping to remove air pockets.
- Water thoroughly after planting.
- Watering: While establishing, provide average water needs to keep the soil consistently moist. Once established, 'Dream Catcher' is highly drought tolerant and will thrive with low water needs.
- Fertilization: In fertile soils, Epimedium generally does not require heavy fertilization. If growth seems slow or the soil is poor, a light application of a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer in early spring can be beneficial.
- Maintenance:
- Mulching: A layer of mulch around the plants will help suppress weeds and retain soil moisture, aiding in establishment and overall health.
- Foliage Trimming: To encourage a fresh flush of new leaves and potentially increase flower production, trim off all the old, overwintered foliage in late winter or very early spring, just before new growth emerges.
- Pests and Diseases: Epimedium is rarely troubled by pests or diseases.
- Propagation:
- Division: Epimedium can be easily divided in early fall. Gently lift the clump, separate it into smaller sections with a sharp knife or spade, ensuring each section has roots and dormant buds, and replant immediately.
Thirty (30) plants per flat (or tray). Approximate Plug Measurements: 3 inches deep x 2 inches wide.
Other Details
The most important part of the plant is its root system. Healthy roots are the foundation of a healthy, vibrant plant. The type of plug container used is based on the specific needs of the plants. Perennials offered as bare root traditionally perform better when planted as bare root.Planted in a specialized mix, potted plants have well established root systems. Top growth stage will vary depending on the current life cycle and time of year when shipped. In Winter and early Spring dormant plants may be shipped. Dormant plants may be planted right away, even before the last frost date.
Most bare root varieties are field grown for at least one season, though Hemerocallis and Hosta are grown for two seasons. The bulk of the soil is removed during the harvesting process and the tops of most varieties are trimmed back to the crown. They are graded, packed in shredded aspen or sphagnum moss and stored in freezers until ready to be shipped.
See our Container Sizes and Bare Root Perennials pages for more information.
Plant information and care is provided in the Overview section, Plant Genus Page and general information is provided in the Planting Care & Guides. Additional questions can be asked on each Plant page.
Plant Spacing: Using the maximum mature spread or width of a plant to guide spacing, ensures space to grow to full size. To fill an area sooner, plant them closer together. Just remember, future thinning or transplanting may be needed.
Water: Keep a close eye on newly planted perennials, especially throughout the first growing year. Most early plant loss is due to too much or too little water!
