Epimedium grandiflorum

Epimedium grandiflorum, the large flowered barrenwort, or bishop's hat, is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to China, Japan and Korea.[1] It is known as dâm dương hoắc in Vietnamese.

Epimedium grandiflorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Berberidaceae
Genus: Epimedium
Species:
E. grandiflorum
Binomial name
Epimedium grandiflorum
Synonyms[1]

Epimedium macranthum var. violaceum (C. Morren & Decne.) Franch.
Epimedium grandiflorum forma violaceum
Epimedium violaceum

Description

It is a deciduous perennial growing to 30 cm (12 in), with bright red stems with green heart-shaped leaves (copper-tinged when young) which are slightly hairy on the bottom. In spring it produces pink, white, yellow or purple long-spurred flowers.[2]

Cultivation

Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use, of which the following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:[3]

  • E. grandiflorum[4]
  • E. grandiflorum 'Nanum'[5]
  • E. grandiflorum 'Rose Queen'[6]
  • E. grandiflorum 'White Queen'[7]

Traditional Chinese medicine

E. grandiflorum may have anti-impotence properties due to the presence of icariin, a relatively weak inhibitor of PDE5 in comparison to substances like sildenafil (viagra). Western peer-reviewed research into the efficacy of E. grandiflorum as an aphrodisiac is lacking; however, the herb has been used for this purpose in traditional Chinese medicine and is a common ingredient of herbal remedies for impotence. It is commonly packed in a capsule with other ingredients or sold as herbal flakes or powder with the name "horny goat weed".[8]

References
  1. "Epimedium grandiflorum". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  2. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
  3. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 35. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  4. "RHS Plant Selector - Epimedium grandiflorum". Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  5. "RHS Plant Selector - Epimedium grandiflorum 'Nanum'". Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  6. "RHS Plant Selector - Epimedium grandiflorum 'Rose Queen'". Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  7. "RHS Plant Selector - Epimedium grandiflorum 'White Queen'". Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  8. "HORNY GOAT WEED: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings - WebMD". www.webmd.com. Retrieved 2017-10-20.
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