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Epimedium, also known as Barrenwort, Bishop's Hat, Fairy Wings, Horny Goatweed, or Yin Yang Huo (Chinese), is a genus of about 25 species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Berberidaceae. They are native to southern Europe, and central, southern and eastern Asia.
Epimedium species are hardy perennials. They have four-petaled "spider-like" flowers in spring or early summer, and many species and cultivars are grown for ornament, particularly as ground covers for partial shade. The evergreen species are particularly good at keeping down weeds; the deciduous ones often have attractively colored new foliage in spring.
Many species of Epimedium are reported to have aphrodisiac qualities. According to legend, this property was discovered by a Chinese goat herder who noticed sexual activity in his flock after they ate the weed. It is sold as a health supplement, usually in raw herb or pill form and sometimes blended with other supplements.
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