Home » Plants & Animals » Shade Gardening » Corydalis

Corydalis

© Marge Talt

The flowers are incredibly lovely at close view. I find they are somewhat lost in shade en masse; another reason for moving this plant to more light. They are said to be quite fragrant; not something I have yet noticed.

When this plant sprawls, it can easily cover a circle two feet (60cm) or more in diameter, so do not plant it next to some tiny treasure. This habit makes it a good weaver as well as suitable for hanging basket use or tailing down from a planter or the top of a wall in cooler climates.

If its behavior in my garden is at all typical for warmer climates, I would not give it a place of prominence because by July it is not a thing of beauty. Even so, it's well worth growing for its spring display.

Corydalis ophiocarpa

Of the species I grow, this is really the only one I consider "weedy". I've ripped it out of everywhere but this one bed, where I allow it to grow for its form, but remove the flowers when I get a chance, otherwise, the gravel drive is literally covered in seedlings. Seedlings are not hard to remove, but it's tedious to have to pull thousands of them.

Tony Avent, of Plant Delights Nursery, lists this as one of the few of this genus who really thrive in the heat of the south. This is true; heat and humidity do not seem to phase this plant in the least. The foliage remains in prime condition from early spring until frost.

The flowers are a rather dingy white, which I've seen described as washy or straw-colored; even yellow, with light purple tips, something you have to look closely to see. From normal viewing distance, I find them notably unimpressive since there's not enough contrast with the foliage for them to stand out. If permitted, C. ophiocarpa will produce flowers all season. At least it keeps trying this with me. I've read it flowers from April until the end of May and then again in the fall. It seems I'm snipping off flowers all summer, but this may be simply because I am cutting them off and the plant then tries to make more.

In a bright condition - but not direct sun - with moist soil and good drainage (actually this is growing in clay mixed with driveway gravel over a perforated drain pipe from our downspouts), C. ohiocarpa makes a lovely mound of very ferny gray-green to bluish-green foliage about thirty inches (76cm) high.