Barrenwort, Horny goatweed
Epimedium sagittatum
Family: Berberidaceae
What it is like
An evergreen herb. It keeps growing from year to year and has creeping underground stems or rhizomes. The leaves have 3 leaflets and are leathery. The leaflets are oval to sword shaped and 5 cm long. There are spiny teeth along the edge. The flowers are pale yellow and in groups of 20-60.
There are over 30 Epimedium species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests, on slopes and along streams between 200-1,800 m above sea level in China.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China (country/location of origin), Japan
How it is used for food
It is an ingredient in Chinese "spring wine". Caution: It is used in medicine and should not be taken in large amounts.
Edible parts
Leaves
How it is grown
Plants are grown from ripe seed. They can also be grown by division, after flowering and from rooted sections of the rhizome.