Growing Corydalis solida
Corydalis lutea on the other hand is a hardy perennial for me and while it gets a trifle weedy, its bright yellow flowers bloom constantly from early May until late October in my part shade garden.
The interesting thing is that while some of the family comes from seed, C. solida comes from a tuber and you can easily find them in good garden shops or on the Net.
Just for the Record
The word Corydalis comes from the Latin korydalis meaning crowned lark as the markings on the flower resemble (a bit of a stretch here) the tufted crown of a lark.
Cultivation Requirements
Plant the tuber so the base is approximately 5-10 cm or 2-3 inches deep. It should be in the part shade for best results. Note that it will grow nicely in slightly deeper shade if adequate moisture is available. It will not be overly happy in full sun or dry conditions. Space the tubers approximately 3-5 inches apart.
Because it is a woodland type of plant in the wild, it will perform best if given these conditions. Dont put it out in the mixed perennial border in full sun and expect it to thrive.
Flowers and Leaves
Corydalis solida flowers are a pinkish purple (sounds terrible but it is actually quite nice). The leaves have a blue tone to them and they are glaucous (thick and fleshy) so they are quite attractive by themselves.
Corydalis solidaYou should see blooms in late spring to very early summer. The flowers will stand up approximately 7-9 inches.
Landscape Use
Besides the shade garden and shady rock garden, you might consider letting this plant naturalize under shrubs and trees.
Propagation
Yes. You won't have to worry about that. It loves to propagate itself from seed and simply taking the seedlings out will give you more than any gardener in their right mind would want.Click here if you have questions about Corydalis solida.
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