Epimedium alpinum

Epimedium alpinum L. (SE-Eur.) – A very rare and probably decreasing escape from or relic of cultivation. Long naturalised in widely scattered locations, chiefly in Wallonia. Known at least since 1847 from Roly near Mariembourg (although it might have been re-introduced in the 1960’s; see Lebeau 1965). Furthermore reported as naturalised or long persistent from Fouron-le-Comte (Altembroeck), Argenteau, Tavier (Duvigneaud & Saintenoy-Simon 1993). Epimedium alpinum also spontaneously occurred under birtchwood in a private garden in Henis (Tongeren) around 2006 and has become naturalised. All Belgian records are from woodlands on calcareous soils, mostly in or near old estates and parks.


Epimedium alpinum by Sven Bellanger

Herbarium specimen

Selected literature

Arnold H. (1991) Epimedium alpinum bei Nordeck verwildert. Hess. Flor. Briefe 40(3): 47.

Duvigneaud J. & Saintenoy-Simon J. (1993) Le parc du château de Xhos à Tavier (prvince de Liège, Belgique) une belle station de plantes castrales. Nat. Mosana 46(3): 102-108.

Lebeau J. (1965) Excursion du 13 juin 1965 dans la région de Roly et de Matagne. Nat. Mosana 18(3): 84-87.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith