Corydalis (lat. Corydalis)- genus herbaceous plants of the Poppy family, common in the temperate climate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Scientific name comes from a Greek word meaning “helmet” and describing the flower shape of plants in this genus, which has about 320 species. The largest number of corydalis species - about 200 - are found in the Himalayas, Western and Central China, where they live at an altitude of 3 to 5 thousand meters above sea level. Corydalis appeared in culture not so long ago - in the 19th century. These plants were brought from Siberia, Central Asia, Tibet, the Himalayas, but most often from China. Today, corydalis, along with phlox, tulips and dahlias, have become one of the most popular garden plants. The reason for this is frost resistance, disease resistance, ease of care, the presence of medicinal properties and the high decorative value of this crop.
Planting and caring for corydalis (in brief)
- Bloom: in March for three weeks.
- Landing: planting tubers in the ground - in August-September.
- Lighting and soil: mountain, Chinese and alpine species prefer bright sunlight and drained sandy loam soil in elevated areas, and forest The species needs partial shade and loose humus soils.
- Watering: regular but moderate. If the spring was wet, then watering will only be needed from the beginning of summer.
- Feeding: only need fertilizers forest species: You can dig up the area before planting with humus (compost) or add a solution of mineral fertilizer to the soil before flowering.
- Reproduction: most often by tubers and division of rhizomes, less often - by seed method.
- Pests: rodents.
- Diseases: viral infections and root rot.
Read more about growing corydalis below.
Corydalis plant - description
The corydalis flower can be either annual or perennial. The rhizome of the representatives of the genus is massive, located at a decent depth and consisting of branched shoots, on which round tubers with nutrients are sometimes formed. The erect stems of corydalis reach a height of 15 to 45 cm. At their base, from 2 to 4 pieces, there are dark green fern-like leaves with a bluish bloom, twice or thrice compound with rounded or triangular lobes, each lobe having its own petiole.
Around mid-April, cylindrical racemes form at the top of the shoots, containing from 5 to 35 long flowers of white, pink, yellow, purple or purple. The corolla of the flowers is 15-25 mm long, the bracts are large, the sepals are small and pointed. Each flower is equipped with a long spur - a container for nectar, which can only be accessed by insects with long proboscises. Corydalis fruits are oblong capsules with small black shiny seeds. Each seed has a fleshy growth - a favorite delicacy of ants, which carry corydalis seeds over long distances.
The growth of representatives of this numerous genus begins in March, the corydalis plant blooms when the soil warms up to 3-4 °C, and this flowering lasts about 3 weeks. The seeds ripen in June, and after that the ground part of the corydalis dies.
In landscape design, corydalis go well with other primroses: crocuses, muscari, chionodoxes, galanthus and early tulips.
Planting corydalis in open ground
When to plant corydalis in the ground
Dormant tubers of corydalis go on sale from mid-June to September, and it is at this time that they are planted in open ground. Please inspect carefully when purchasing planting material: Tubers should be dense and juicy. Light drying of the tubers does not harm only the Central Asian species of corydalis.
The choice of site depends on the plant’s membership in one group or another. For example, forest corydalis prefer to grow in partial shade on humus loose soils, while mountain, Chinese and alpine species love sunny open spaces with sandy loam, well-drained soils, located on hills and hills. The soil reaction for corydalis should be slightly acidic or neutral.
How to plant corydalis
Planting and caring for corydalis in open ground will not seem difficult to you. When preparing a site in soils that are too heavy and dense, add crushed stone or fine gravel for digging. Since the roots of the plant rot easily, consider how you can organize a drain for excess water.
The depth of planting tubers depends on their size: small ones are buried by 5-7 cm, large ones by 10-15 cm. After planting, the area is watered.
Caring for corydalis in the garden
How to care for a corydalis
Corydalis in open ground needs watering, loosening the soil, weeding, fertilizing and protection from diseases and pests. However, each species has its own requirements and preferences that should be taken into account when growing.
Watering and feeding corydalis
In early spring, when growth begins, the soil is usually moist from melting snow, so you won't have to water the flowers. In the future, all corydalis need regular watering, but at the same time desert and alpine species tolerate drought much more easily than stagnation of water in the roots. Actually, stagnation is unacceptable for any of the species, which is why it is so important that the soil in which the corydalis grows is well-drained.
After watering, the soil around the plants is loosened and weeded, but if it is covered with organic mulch, you will have to weed, loosen, and even water the area much less often.
Only forest species of corydalis need to be fed, digging up the soil when planting with leaf humus or compost. Organic fertilizers can be used as mulch, which covers the area in the spring.
After flowering is completed, the ground organs of the corydalis gradually turn yellow and die. To remember where it grew, mark the area with pegs. Since Corydalis is highly winter-hardy, there is no need to cover it for the winter. The only exception is the Chinese corydalis, which freezes out at a temperature of -23 C.
Transplantation and propagation of corydalis
Corydalis is best replanted during the dormant period, although it easily tolerates this procedure even during flowering. However, the ground part flowering plant may break off, then the tubers will go into a dormant state. The plant is replanted while preserving the earthen coma.
Corydalis is propagated by tubers, division of rhizomes and by seed. Only Bush and Kashmir corydalis form tubers on rhizomes. The division of the rhizome is carried out during transplantation, in the second half of summer or spring. The bush is divided so that each division contains part of the rhizome and a renewal bud. The divisions are planted to a depth of 5 to 15 cm, depending on the size of the tubers, keeping a distance between holes of at least 10 cm. However, dividing the rhizome is not the most popular way of propagating corydalis.
For seed propagation, unripe seeds are used, which have already turned black, but are still in a green box. Don't miss the moment, otherwise the dried boxes will open, the seeds will fall to the ground, and the ants will take them away. Corydalis seeds lose their germination within a week, so hurry up with sowing.
Corydalis seeds are sown in containers with moist soil and germinated in the shade, preventing the substrate from drying out. Seedlings are planted in open ground next spring, and they will begin to bloom, depending on the species, in 2-4 years.
Corydalis get sick very rarely. Fungal diseases can occur due to stagnation of moisture in the roots, and no crop is immune from viral diseases, no matter how well you care for it. Specimens affected by a viral infection must be immediately removed and burned, and the place where they grew should be spilled with a strong solution of potassium permanganate. Solutions are used to treat fungal diseases fungicidal drugs. As for pests, the only ones you should be wary of are rodents - moles and mice. They are destroyed by spreading bait and poison throughout the area.
Types and varieties of corydalis
Numerous corydalis can be divided according to the environmental requirements that determine the agricultural technology of the species. The most unpretentious of the perennial tuberous corydalis are forest species , which include:
- Bush Corydalis;
- Corydalis dense, or Hallera;
- smoke-leaved corydalis;
- Caucasian corydalis;
- corydalis grandiflora, or giant;
- Kuznetsov's corydalis;
- Corydalis Magadan;
- Marshall's corydalis;
- Corydalis low;
- Corydalis malcica;
- corydalis deceptive, or doubtful;
- Corydalis bractae;
- Corydalis intermedius;
- corydalis arranged, or Turchaninova;
- Corydalis angustifolia.
These species love sandy loam and clay soils rich in humus and leaf humus; they can be grown in orchard under trees, in clearings in the grass among deciduous trees and in permanent flower beds. The most popular varieties are dense corydalis, or Hallera:
- Beth Evans– a variety with soft pink flowers with a white spur;
- Prasil Strain– a variety of plants with variations in shades from red to pink and salmon;
- George Baker– a plant with bright red, almost cherry-colored flowers;
- Dieter Schacht– a variety with flowers of a soft pink hue;
- Highland Mixed– Corydalis with inflorescences of a smoky bluish-pink tone;
- Munich Form– variety with coral-red flowers;
- Nettleton Pink- a plant with juicy pink flowers.
It is more difficult in our climate to grow perennials of the Himalayan deserts, foothills and highlands, which are conventionally called mountain views . These include.
Corydalis is a tall herbaceous plant from the Poppy family. It is found everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, from subtropical climates and further north. The plant is characterized by abundant and early flowering. Large bushes with lush dark green growth and dense bright inflorescences They will decorate the garden in mid-spring. They effectively cover the bare ground. The corydalis is unpretentious in care. It grows well under the shade of trees and on sunny edges. At the same time, the plant has pronounced medicinal properties.
Botanical description
Corydalis is a large genus in the Poppy family, which is classified in the Dymyankov subfamily. Perennial and sometimes annual plants have a herbaceous form. Their erect, succulent stems grow 15-45 cm in height. The massive rhizome is located quite deep. It consists of branched processes, on which thickenings in the form of round or oval tubers are sometimes formed. They collect nutrients that help the corydalis to quickly begin to grow after the thaw.
There are 2-4 leaves at the base of the stem. The petiolate dark green foliage with a bluish bloom is similar to the leaves of a fern. It is cut into triangular or rounded lobes. Each section has its own thin petiole.
From mid-April, racemose inflorescences bloom at the tops of the shoots cylindrical. At first the buds are more crowded, but gradually become looser. The inflorescence consists of 5-35 long flowers. Their petals can be colored in white, yellow, pink, purple and lilac shades. The length of the corolla is 15-25 mm. It consists of large bracts and smaller, pointed sepals. Each flower has an elongated spur, which accumulates nectar, which is accessible only to insects with long proboscis.
As a result of pollination, dry, oblong-shaped seed pods ripen on the stems. Small shiny black seeds are hidden behind the thick pointed walls. Each seed has a white, fleshy growth containing nutrients. For their sake, the seeds are collected and carried over long distances by ants.
Types of Corydalis
In total, more than 320 plant species have been registered in the genus Corydalis. They are divided into groups depending on their growing conditions. For example, there are desert corydalis (common in Central Asia) or forest corydalis. It is the latter that are most often used in domestic gardens.
Corydalis dense (Gallera). It grows on sunny edges and under the light canopy of trees in Western Europe and the European part of Russia. Perennial plants develop from a tuber with a diameter of no more than 15 mm. The height of the stem is 10-25 cm. At the base there are 2 petiolate, pinnately dissected leaves with trifoliate lobes. In mid-April, a dense cylindrical inflorescence blooms. Linear petals are hidden under the obovate bracts. The pink-violet corolla does not exceed 2 cm in length.
The tuberous plant is found in the countries of Asia Minor and Europe, along the edges of broad-leaved and deciduous-coniferous forests. The perennial has a larger, rounded tuber. A stem up to 40 cm long grows from it. At the base there are 2 pinnate leaves with toothed plates. They have a triangular shape. The long bare peduncle ends in a cylindrical raceme. Large dark purple flowers reach 25 mm in length. They consist of ovoid bracts and miniature toothed petals. Flowering begins in the last ten days of April.
Plants from southeastern Europe produce creamy yellow, delicate flowers. The height of the shoots is 15-30 cm. They are covered with reddish-green bark. There is bluish-green trifoliate foliage at the base. Flowers bloom towards the end of April. Their length is about 25 mm. The corollas have a thickened spur on the upper petal.
Found in light forests Kuril Islands, Sakhalin and Kamchatka. Stems 10-15 cm in height have a grayish coating. At the base there are bluish-green trifoliate leaves. In the last days of April, a loose brush of a soft blue hue blooms.
Rhizome height perennial plant can reach 80 cm. At the base of the stem there are pinnately dissected bright green leaves. The lobes have a blunt, jagged edge. In early May, dense racemose inflorescences bloom. The petals are colored yellow, and on their inner side there is a purple-black border.
Distributed in western Europe. A perennial plant with a creeping rhizome without tubers, it has erect stems 10-40 cm high. Dissected bluish-green leaves are collected at the base. A flower cluster of 6-20 bright yellow buds blooms immediately after the snow melts and has a very long flowering period.
Reproduction methods
Corydalis is propagated by seed and vegetative methods. Growing from seeds begins immediately after collecting them, since the seed material quickly loses its viability. Collected seeds It is important not to overdry. They can be stored in damp moss or sown immediately. Sowing is done in containers with moist sandy-peaty soil. Often in the first year only cotyledons (young leaves) are formed. After this, the plants go to rest. Keep containers in a cool place with good lighting. Corydalis reproduce well by self-sowing. However, if there are ants nearby, the latter can take the seeds far from the desired planting site. Seedlings are expected to flower in 3-4 years.
Some plant species form lateral nodules. In mid-summer they are planted separately. You can also divide large tubers with several growing points into parts. They are cut, the cut is dipped in crushed activated carbon and planted to a depth of 6-7 cm. During transportation, it is important not to dry out the tubers, so after digging they are placed in a tight container. plastic bag.
Planting and care
At the end of the flowering and growing season, all ground shoots of the corydalis die off. Finding plants at this time is not so easy, because the tubers are located at great depths. To cope with this problem, plant replanting can be done during the growth and flowering period. It is necessary to completely preserve the earthen lump. The plant is afraid of drying out the soil and roots, and also has brittle roots. Any damage leads to illness and death of the corydalis.
Tubers are planted in the soil in June-September, after the onset of the dormant period. Planting depth depends on the size of the tubers. Smaller ones are buried by 5-7 cm, and larger ones by 10-15 cm. Corydalis prefers fertile, loose soils with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. When digging, too heavy dense soils are mixed with crushed stone and fine gravel. It can be planted in a sunny meadow or under deciduous trees. During the period of its activity, the crown is just forming, so the flower will receive a sufficient amount of light. It is recommended to immediately consider a water drain, as the roots easily rot.
The corydalis is unpretentious in care. Usually in the spring active growth The snow melts and enough precipitation falls, so there is no need to water the flowers. By June, the fruits ripen and the ground shoots begin to dry out. When the leaves and stems dry completely, they are cut off. It is not recommended to do this earlier, otherwise the tubers will not have time to accumulate a sufficient amount useful substances.
The roots are deep, so they do not suffer from trampling, summer heat and drought. In winter, forest corydalis easily tolerate even severe frosts, so they do not need shelter. It is recommended not to remove leaves that have fallen from nearby trees. Having rotted, they will serve as fertilizer.
Forcing plants
Only a few types of tuberous corydalis are suitable for forcing and growing in a pot. Typically, dense corydalis is used for these purposes. Medium-sized tubers are planted in pots with loose garden soil. The top of the bulb should be at a depth of up to 5 mm. Immediately after planting, the container is placed in a dark place with an air temperature of -5...+8°C. Here the plants spend at least 9 weeks.
Later, the pot is transferred to a room with intense lighting and air temperature +8...+12°C. Begin to water the flower with caution. During the flowering period, the temperature rises to +15…+18°C. When all the flowers and leaves have faded, the pot is again placed in a dark, cool place. If you don't have one in your house, you can use a refrigerator. It is important to ensure that the soil does not dry out completely.
Use of Corydalis
Corydalis is used for landscaping parks and gardens. It can grow in the most unfavorable conditions: on inconvenient slopes, among snags and bushes. It is planted on alpine hills, near curbs, under garden trees and among the stones. Planting should be alternated with later plants that camouflage the bare soil as the dormant period begins. The best neighbors for corydalis are hostas, crocuses, snowdrops, hyacinths, and tulips.
Corydalis is also an excellent honey plant. It exudes a pleasant honey aroma that attracts the first insects. Young leaves are rich ascorbic acid. They can be used in cooking to prepare salads, soups and borscht.
Medical purpose
All types of corydalis contain a large number of alkaloids, but most often Corydalis hollow is used in medicine. In the spring, grass is harvested, and in the summer, tubers are harvested. They are dried in the shade and stored in fabric or paper bags for a year.
In traditional medicine, corydalis is used due to the alkaloid bulbocapnine. It helps reduce muscle tone, fights catalepsy, and slows down intestinal motility. Decoctions and extracts from corydalis are used as painkillers, anesthetics and antitumor agents. The plant also has hemostatic, anti-inflammatory and hypnotic properties.
Corydalis (Corydalis) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Dymyanaceae family. It is an ephemeroid - characterized by a short growing season. It quickly germinates, blooms, bears fruit, and then the above-ground part dies off completely. It appears in the forest in April, and by the end of May-beginning of June you will not find traces of the corydalis.
About 200 species of corydalis are common in China, the Himalayas, and can be found in temperate latitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere. There are 3 varieties growing in our forests: hollow corydalis, dense corydalis and Marshall.
Botanical description
The root system is tuberous. Every year, a new one is formed inside the old round nodule, which becomes its shell. The fleshy stem is 15-25 cm long. The stem is densely leafy. The leaves are twice or thrice dissected, brightly colored. green color, may have a bluish tint. Loose racemose inflorescences appear at the tops of the shoots - they rise like candles. Each individual flower is elongated from the base, ending in 4 small petals, the tips of the petals are slightly curved outward. The color can be yellow, pink, blue, purple, white.
Corydalis - the official name of the plant, is given by the name of the crested lark, precisely due to the shape of the flowers, reminiscent of the bird's crest.
The fruit is an oblong capsule resembling a pod. The seeds are large and black. Wood ants eat the succulent apical plant, collect seeds, thereby spreading the corydalis.
Corydalis is an excellent honey plant. Only insects with long proboscis (bumblebees, for example) can pollinate it. Thanks to the spectacular decorative appearance has become popular in gardening.
Corydalis hollow is used in folk medicine due to the presence of alkaloids. The decoction and extract are used as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and hemostatic agent.
Planting and caring for corydalis in the garden
- Plant during the period of growth and flowering, since after flowering the ground part quickly dies off and it is very difficult to find the roots.
- Deepen large nodules by 10-15 cm, small ones by 5-7 cm.
- The soil requires loose, fertile, slightly acidic reaction. If the soil is heavy, add coarse sand for digging.
- Select an area with diffused lighting without stagnant moisture.
During the period of active growth, the plant is content with moisture from precipitation. The roots are located deep underground, so they will not suffer from summer drought.
Care after flowering and wintering
When the stems and leaves dry out, they should be cut off. Shelter for the winter is not required, the plant is frost-resistant and overwinters perfectly in conditions middle zone. In colder regions, it is recommended to cover with fallen leaves and spruce branches.
Growing corydalis from seeds
They quickly lose their germination capacity, so sow immediately after harvest.
- Sow in containers with a sand-peat mixture.
- The seeds are distributed over the surface, lightly sprinkled with sand or loose soil.
- Water from a spray bottle and cover with glass or a bag.
- Every day you need to ventilate and water with a spray bottle as the top layer of soil dries.
- In the first year, only cotyledons (young leaves) may appear, and then a dormant period will begin. Be patient! Provide cool conditions with infrequent watering and moderate lighting.
- With the arrival of spring, young corydalis will begin to grow again; it will be possible to fertilize with nitrogen fertilizers in half the concentration.
- Plant young plants by transshipment into open ground after the end of night frosts at a distance of 10-15 cm.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
Some have powerful rhizomes and tubers. Plant them after flowering has finished.
Large tubers can be divided into parts. Each part must have a growth point. The cuts must be treated with a fungicide, then deepened into the soil by 6-7 cm.
Types of corydalis with photos and names
The genus contains about 320 species. They are divided into groups according to their growing conditions (desert, Asian, etc.). Let's look at the species grown in the gardens of our latitudes.
Corydalis dense or Solida Corydalis solida
The natural habitat is sunny edges and light tree crowns of the European part of Russia and Western Europe. The small tuber has a diameter of 15 mm. The stem extends 10-25 cm. 2 pinnately dissected leaves extend from the base of the stem. The dense, cylindrical inflorescence blooms in mid-April. The color of the flowers is pink-violet.
Corydalis cava
Prefers the edges of deciduous-coniferous and broad-leaved forests in Europe and Asia Minor. The height of the stem reaches 40 cm. The leaf blades are triangular in shape and consist of pinnately dissected leaves. The flowers are dark purple in color.
Marshall's Corydalis Corydalis marschalliana
Distributed in the southeastern part of Europe. The stems are 15-30 cm high and have a reddish-green color. The leaves are trifoliate, colored green with a bluish tint. At the end of April, a peduncle 25 cm long appears. The flowers have a delicate creamy-yellow color.
Corydalis dubious Corydalis yanhusuo
Distributed in the forests of Kamchatka, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands. The stem length is 10-15 cm, they are covered with a bluish coating. The flowers are sky blue in color. Blooms at the end of April.
Corydalis nobilis
A herbaceous plant about 80 cm high. The leaves are pinnately dissected and painted bright green. The inflorescences bloom in early May. Yellow flowers bordered with a purple stripe.
Yellow Corydalis Corydalis lutea
The habitat is the western part of Europe. Has a creeping rhizome. The stem is 10-40 cm in height. At the base of the stem, dissected bluish-green leaves are attached. Flowers bloom immediately after the snow melts. They have a sunny yellow color.
Corydalis in landscape design
Corydalis is popular as an ornamental garden crop. Bright flowers will decorate park lawns, any flower beds, and flower beds. Looks good on alpine hills and rocky gardens. Combines with tulips, crocuses, snowdrops, hosta.
The Legend of the Corydalis
According to legend, spring larks started a fight in which each other's crests were torn, which fell to the ground and sprouted beautiful flowers.
According to ancient Slavic legend, there lived a witch in the forest who flew around her domain every night. At dawn she returned to the hut. She was prevented from resting by the cockerels, which announced the arrival of a new day with their cry. She was so angry that she turned them into silent flowers. People also call the flower “hens” and “cockerels”.
The numerous herbaceous genus Corydalis (lat. Corydalis) belongs to the subfamily Fumariaceae, which is part of the Poppy family (lat. Papaveraceae). Representatives of the genus thrive in the temperate climate of the Northern Hemisphere. The scientific name "Corýdalis" comes from a word from Greek language"cons" - helmet, which refers to the characteristic shape of the flower. The plant is popularly called “corydalis”.
Biological features
A wide variety of annual and perennial species Corydalis differ greatly from each other in appearance and mode of existence. There are real grass giants, reaching a height of up to 2 m, with powerful branched root tubers, and there are crumbs, whose height is 5 cm.
Forest fumariaefolia (C. fumariaefolia)
Corydalis belongs to the early spring tuberous ephemeroids. A plant tuber is a rounded root that has spread wide. During spring development, the tuber becomes overgrown with small feeding roots, which dry out during the dormant period. There are two types of tubers:
- Perennial. During the process of growth, this type of root, in addition to increasing in size, also deteriorates a little, becoming hollow, like that of the dense corydalis or Marshall.
- Replaceable. Every year a new tuber begins to grow inside the old one, which becomes its shell, for example, in the Caucasian or dense corydalis.
The supply of nutrients in the tuberous thickenings of the root allows the corydalis to vegetate in early spring. Some species have several white or reddish scale-like leaves at the base of the stem that protect the top of the stem from damage. Other leaves, greenish or bluish, doubly or trisyllabic, fern-like.
The plant has racemose inflorescences or single flowers. Each flower is accompanied by a leaflet - a bract. There are four petals. The outer two have bent ends, the upper one creates a long outgrowth at the base - a spur, in which nectar accumulates. The two inner petals are connected together and peek out a little between the outer flaps, like a nose. The fruit is a capsule with a pair of thin valves. The seeds are black, massive, shiny, with a weighty appendage.
Structure of Corydalis dense
Corydalis begin to grow under the snow in March. And already in April, enlarged shoots are visible. The crop blooms at a soil temperature of 3-4°C, flowering lasts about 20 days. After the seeds ripen in early June, the above-ground part disappears. Seed dispersal occurs largely thanks to ants.
Variety of species
The genus includes about 320 species. The largest number, about two hundred, grows in the Himalayas, Western and Central China. Where they are permanent residents of alpine meadows and thrive in the highlands, feeding on moisture from melting glaciers. Ephemeroid corydalis, similar in life cycle, are conventionally divided into categories that differ in environmental requirements that determine the necessary agricultural technology and the use of plant species in floriculture.
For cultivation in central Russia, the most optimal group is with forest species, which includes:
- X. caucasian(lat. S. caucasica). It has a small round tuber, an oblong stem with one scale-like leaf and two openwork leaves, a loose raceme, with 4-10 flowers. Corolla with a diameter of 2-2.6 cm, colors in shades of pink, pink-violet. The spur is blunt, thickened.
- X. tuberous or hollow (lat. C. bulbosa = cava). Height 30 cm. It has a permanent conical tuber, which becomes hollow with age and only two wide but tender leaves, with many divisions into elongated segments. A tall peduncle lifts up a cluster of flowers with solid bracts. The flowers are pinkish-lilac, there are white specimens.
- X. Marshall(lat. S. marschalliana). Similar to tuberous, but the flowers are creamy yellow. When grown together, transitional forms with creamy-white and yellowish-pink inflorescences occur.
Forest corydalis grandiflora or giant
Also included in the forest category are Corydalis: Bush (buschii), smoke-leaved (fumariaefolia), Magadanica (magadanica), Hallera (halleri), etc. They feel great in flower beds where there is shading among tall trees. They love soil rich in leaf humus.
Very interesting group Himalayan corydalis, growing in the highlands, foothills and deserts of Central Asia. Our people call it the Chinese corydalis. But their cultivation in the middle zone is very difficult.
- X. Kashmiri(lat. S. cashmeriana). Several tiny tubers grow near the main tuber. The plant is low with highly arched leaves and pale blue flowers. A rare representative of the Himalayas and Tibet.
- X. darvaz(lat. S. darwasicd). Endowed with an angular, large tuber with a diameter of 5-6 cm. Several stems extend from the tuber. Opposite, bluish leaves with a few divisions are on the ground.
A loose brush holds the flowers on thin stalks. The flowers are curved in an arc, with thin elongated spurs, yellowish and pinkish, dark below. Grows on rocky slopes.
- X. Ledebura(lat. S. ledebouriand). It has a tall peduncle and a pair of squat leaves. The brush is sparse, multi-flowered, the flowers are different in shape and color. The spurs are sharp and thick; color - white, pale yellow, pale pink, with contrasting folds.
Corydalis Shangina (schanginii) - inhabitant of deserts and foothills
This group also includes corydalis: Wilson’s (wilsonii), holostem (nudicaulis), macrocentra (macrocentra), maracandica (maracandica), etc.
Less commonly found in cultivation are annual representatives of the genus: evergreen (sempervirens), impatiens. Not so long ago, corydalis found in the Chinese region of Sichuan began to be cultivated: sinuous (flexuosa), tall (elata).
Photo gallery of species
Growing and care
Forest corydalis with small tubers are placed at a depth of 6-8 cm, large tuberous rhizomes, especially Chinese corydalis, are deepened to 11-14 cm.
The choice of planting site for corydalis and soil preparation depends on the type of plant.
Forest corydalis are kept like snowdrops (in shade and partial shade).
Illuminated areas are suitable for Asian ones. In damp summers, the tubers of such corydalis are dried for a month during the dormant period, and then planted again.
They also have different preferences regarding soil. Loose, organic-rich soils are suitable for forest ephemeroids; heavy clay soils, well-drained, are suitable for Chinese corydalis.
Remember! Corydalis has a lot of advantages: decorative, frost-resistant, blooms in early spring, does not require complex agricultural technology, and simply reproduces.
The unusual color of the Corydalis “Zwanenburg” was appreciated by collectors around the world
Today, the Zwanenburg variety is considered the reddest variety of corydalis.
Reproduction
Seeds are the main method of propagation of corydalis. Tuber division is rarely used. Only the Kashmiri and Busha corydalis produce small nodules. Other types of tuber division can be achieved only once in twenty. To reliably increase the number of corydalis plants, two conditions must be adhered to:
- When growing corydalis from seeds, sow them after harvesting. Try not to miss the moment of ripening so that the seeds do not spill out on their own and are not stolen by ants. There are 8-16 seeds in one box.
- Sown seeds and seedlings that appear in spring should not be overdried. Corydalis seeds instantly lose their viability. Sowing should not be delayed for more than a month. You need to sow in pots or boxes.
In some species (H. nobilis, often Skulera and gigantica), in the first year of life only cotyledons grow, narrow and simple; carved leaves grow the next year. The time for planting tortuous seeds needs to be calculated. The seedlings may appear in the fall and freeze.
Forest species can be given the opportunity to sow seeds themselves. Crops bloom in 2-4 years. In nature, tubers are collected after fruiting, when a sufficient amount of useful substances has accumulated and the plant is at rest.
Tuber of Haller's corydalis (C. halleri) dug up in the forest
Wintering
Forest corydalis tolerate the winter of central Russia well. Fallen leaves of trees are not removed: they do not harm the plants at all, and corydalis easily find their way in the spring. Rotted foliage is an excellent top dressing and helps maintain high soil moisture.
Central Asian species do not tolerate the climatic conditions of the middle zone. Therefore, they are wrapped and covered with a twenty-centimeter layer of leaves.
Diseases and pests
Corydalis pests are the same as those of snowdrops: moles, mice, viruses. Diseases are rare and are not a significant threat to the crop.
Beautiful Asian Corydalis Popov (lat. C. popovii) among the stones
Use in landscape design
In parks and gardens, corydalis are used to create large groups and patches of color under the cover of deciduous trees. Asian beauties use for decoration alpine slides, rockeries. Forest corydalis are placed on hills and in rockeries only in places shaded by trees or tall perennials.
Asian species are planted between beautiful stones, and forest species between gradually growing perennials, so that the corydalis do not leave behind empty place. With the help of corydalis it is good to imitate a natural corner of nature
The most suitable partners for forest species: Chionodoxa, crocuses, hosta, snowdrops. Central Asian companions: mouse hyacinths, junos, botanical tulips and other ephemeroids growing in dry areas.
A flirtatious tuft of flowers, delicate leaves…. They popped up in early spring, pampered the insects with their aroma, and us with bright clearings, scattered black beads of seeds - and disappeared. This is how tuberous corydalis behave. It’s worth planting a few nodules, not being too zealous with weeding and loosening in May, and a bright curtain is guaranteed. Another thing is rhizomatous corydalis.
In May they are almost invisible, but a little later lacy bushes appear, which bloom for a long time and profusely.
What does a corydalis flower look like and when does it bloom (with photo)
Corydalis, or corydalis - representative large family herbaceous plants of the Dymyankov subfamily, the Poppy family. This representative of the flora is distributed in temperate regions throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
A flower such as Corydalis is a tuberous plant, characterized by rapid germination, early formation of fruits and complete death of the above-ground part. All the beneficial nutrients needed by a plant called corydalis accumulate in the tubers, due to which the growing season resumes in a favorable period next year. Spring perennial flower Corydalis is also known under other names - empty forelock, lark's forelock, crested lark, lark's spur.
What does a flowering corydalis plant look like? Almost all types of this flowering plant reach 20-30 cm in height, and some even more. The flower has a tall fleshy stem and leaves that are twice or thrice dissected. The foliage is abundantly located on the stems, and on top of them are flowers in the form of bright, loose clusters. Each flower is characterized by an elongated base and consists of four small petals.
Corydalis is represented by many species; in total, more than 320 varieties of this perennial flowering plant have been registered. Each flower is surrounded by two small leaves called bracts. Corydalis grass, regardless of its type, has only two leaves. What exactly does a corydalis flower look like during its flowering period? The color of the petals can be very diverse, different regions You can find yellow, pink, purple, blue and white flowers. The plant is characterized by a very simple inflorescence - a cluster of flowers is located at the top of the stem. Appearance This flowering tuberous plant is quite bizarre: there are only four petals, and in front they form something like two lips.
The plant develops very quickly, the stem reaches its maximum height, throws out the inflorescence, but it also fades just as quickly - just a couple of days, after which the flowers fall off and fruits form in their place. They are black, smooth seeds that are in a box shaped like a pod. The seeds are large, black, with a smooth surface and a juicy white apex, which is a tasty food for forest ant species. Ants collect seeds and help spread the plant.
From the description different types Corydalis plants are known to be good honey plants; a large amount of nectar accumulates in their spurs, however, only insects with long proboscis, for example, bumblebees, can extract it from there. This description of the corydalis flower will allow you to recognize it among other flowering plants.
Corydalis (Corydalis) yellow, hollow and other species
Corydalis (Corydalis) are quickly becoming fashionable. This is partly facilitated by the import of species that have not been tested in our climate. We are mainly talking about varieties of corydalis (C. flexuosa), a blue Himalayan beauty. The species may well grow in our climate, but how purple and yellow-leaved varieties will behave in harsh snowless winters is still unknown.
Сorydalis ‘Chocolate Star1 (S. quantmeyerana), perhaps the largest. Powerful, hard leaves have a chocolate hue. It is too early to evaluate winter hardiness, because Russian gardeners have practically no experience.
And here yellow corydalis (S. lutea) will never let you down. It overwinters well, self-sows, and blooms almost all summer - bright, joyful, sunny yellow flowers. Grows in sun and partial shade, for example, under the crown of an apple tree. In extreme heat, the plant must be watered. Pay attention to the photo: Here is the yellow corydalis flower.
Rhizome species reproduce by self-sowing. Due to this, corydalis take up quite a lot of space. If there is no self-seeding, in early spring the bush can be carefully dug up and divided. The delenki are immediately planted in a permanent place.
Tuberous corydalis are not as popular here as in Europe. Corydalis dense (S. solida)= Hallera (C. halleri) has many varieties with different flower colors - snow-white, purple, red, lilac.
The geography of corydalis is extensive. White flowers of the corydalis (C. malkensis) are collected in dense inflorescences. The plant winters stably in the middle zone, despite its southern origin.
And from the Siberian mountains a yellow one came down to our gardens Corydalis bract (C. bracteata). Compared to the above, this is a pretty powerful plant. Blue corydalis, for example, dubious corydalis (C. ambigua) are one of the main decorations of the spring garden.
The Far Eastern guest feels great in the gardens Central Russia. The same can be said about the Bush's corydalis (C. buschii), which has pink flowers and yellowish leaves.
Only in the first years of life in the garden, corydalis require some effort on the part of the gardener, which mainly comes down to not forgetting where the corydalis grows and not damaging the dormant nodules. Then there are so many plants that even if you happen to weed out the self-seeding, it’s not a big deal.
Rare species are propagated by seeds, which, like tubers, are not recommended to be stored. Seeds are sown immediately after collection. Shoots will appear next spring.
Almost all types of corydalis have medicinal properties. Their tubers contain alkaloids, which are used for medicinal purposes. However, corydalis is mainly used in medicine; the tubers of this plant variety contain several types of alkaloids, but the most valuable among them is bulbocapnin.
The most unpretentious group of plants, which are more suitable than others for the central zone of our country, are forest species of spring corydalis.
corydalis hollow, bush corydalis,
Haller's corydalis, smoke-leaved corydalis,
Caucasian corydalis, grandiflora,
Corydalis Kuznetsova, Magadan,
Malkskaya, Marshall's corydalis,
low corydalis, deceptive corydalis,
Corydalis bractae, Corydalis intermedius,
corydalis angustifolia, corydalis angustifolia.
All these are early-blooming flowers, or primroses, or, as they are also called, corydalis. The fact is that the corydalis has much more grounds for claiming the title of “snowdrop” than other primroses, because many of its species begin to bloom at a time when there is not even any greenery around. Corydalis-primrose at making the right choice The appearance of this flowering plant and proper care for it can decorate any garden plot.
Features of planting and caring for corydalis
Planting corydalis, as well as caring for the plant during this period, has its own characteristics. At the end of the fruiting period, the corydalis turn yellow and dry out, falling into a long resting phase. The tubers remain in the ground. It is at this time that it is recommended to replant the plant.
However, given that the tubers are not so easy to find in the soil after the upper part of the plant dries, replanting can be carried out during the growing season, and even during the period of vigorous flowering. It is better to replant the plant with a clod of earth. If the transplant is carried out during the growth period of the corydalis, its above-ground part is cut off, after which the plant enters the resting phase, and the growing season will continue only after a year. When purchasing corydalis tubers in flower shops You should know that they must be hard and juicy; soft and flaccid are not suitable for planting.
A suitable place for planting a corydalis plant is semi-shaded areas that are as close as possible to the natural living conditions of this representative of the flora. However, the plant also needs light; only under such conditions can it go through the full growing season.
Tubers are planted in the soil in June-September, immediately after the onset of the dormant period. The planting depth is determined by the size of the tubers themselves: for small ones, a recess of 5-7 cm will be enough, for larger ones - 10-15 cm. This tuberous plant prefers loose, fertile soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. The plant can be planted in a sunny or slightly shaded area, preferably partial shade under deciduous trees, but with sufficient exposure sun rays. At the planting stage, it is important to ensure water drainage, since corydalis tubers easily rot with increased moisture during the rainy season.
This flowering tuberous plant is completely unpretentious in care. In the spring, during the period of active growth, the snow melts and there is usually sufficient precipitation, so it may not be necessary. When the flowers fade and the stems dry out, they are completely cut off. The tubers are located deep underground, so they do not suffer from trampling, washing away during rainfall, heat or drought. In winter, the roots of the corydalis are not afraid of frost, so there is no need to cover them. In autumn, you should not remove leaves that have fallen on the area where the tubers are located. When the leaves rot, they become good fertilizer for plants.
Rhizomatous corydalis vegetate all summer. They are used to create flower arrangements in partial shade. Daurian gentians, lady's slippers, hostas, mountain weeds, species, and lilies grow well next to corydalis. In a well-lit place, corydalis' neighbors can be mantles and bells.
Tuberous species go into retirement so quickly that already in June there is no trace of them, and the place where they grew is covered by the leaves of ferns and hostas. You can plant liverworts or crocuses next to the corydalis for contrast.
Corydalis (scilla) dense and Marshall
Corydalis dense, or Haller's corydalis (Corudalis solida) is a perennial flowering plant of the Poppy family, previously belonging to the Dymyankov subfamily.
A detailed description of the dense corydalis in the photo below:
The plant has a stem 8-20 cm high, a tuber 8-15 mm in diameter, light brown in color. Usually there are two leaves of a soft gray color on the stem.
The flowers of Haller's Corydalis are pink-lilac in color; the plant blooms in May. The seeds are black, large, and have a smooth shiny surface. Coridalis solida has become widespread in Europe, western Siberia, Asia Minor and Central Asia. It chooses light forests, shrubs, forest clearings, and edges as a place to grow.
Corydalis Gallera seeds ripen in mid-May and are spread by ants, which use their fleshy, oily appendages as food. This plant is poisonous.
Marshall's Corydalis (Corydalis marschalliana) native to South-Eastern Europe, perennial polycarpic tuberous plant. It blooms with creamy yellow delicate flowers. The shoots reach 15-30 cm in height and are covered with reddish-green bark on top. At the base there is trifoliate foliage of bluish-green color.
Corydalis marschalliana blooms at the end of April, the flowers are approximately 25 mm long. The perennial plant Marshall's corydalis is pictured below:
Corydalis of Okhotsk (Corydalisochotensis): photo and description
The homeland of the Corydalis of Okhotsk (Corydalisochotensis) is Northern China, Japan, and Korea. The plant has also become widespread in Russia - in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, Sakhalin, and the Amur Region.
The plant reaches 60 cm in height and is characterized by a weak root system. Shoots can be of two types - erect or lodging branching. Сorydalis Okhotskaya is characterized by long-petioled leaves, delicate leaf blades, twice or thrice pinnately dissected into broadly oval lobules.
The flowering period is May-September, the flowers are yellow, 1.5-2 cm long, narrow. Reproduction occurs by self-seeding.
Favorite habitats for Corydalis of Okhotsk are shady forests along cliffs, river banks, and river pebbles. In this photo you can see what the Corydalis of Okhotsk flower looks like:
Corydalis intermediate and noble
Corydalis intermedius (Corudalis intermédia) became widespread throughout Europe and Asia Minor. It blooms from April to May, characterized by erect stems reaching a height of 5-15 cm, delicate leaves of a bluish-light color.
Corydalis intermedius flowers are collected in a capitate raceme at the end of the stem. The corolla is small, purple-pink in color. The fruits have the shape of an oblong box, the seeds are shiny black, about 2 mm in diameter.
Corydalis nobilis is a rhizomatous perennial plant that can reach a height of 80 cm. The leaves are pinnate, bright green, located at the base of the stem. When does the Corydalis plant bloom? The flowering period of this type of forest perennial plant occurs in May.
Dense racemose inflorescences, the petals are colored rich yellow, and on inside they can be seen with a purple-black border.
Corydalis Caucasian and dubious
The Caucasian corydalis grows in the Caucasus and Asia Minor. This early flowering plant called Caucasian corydalis reaches a height of about 20 cm. It has tubers up to 2 mm in diameter, which are replaced annually by new ones.
The color of flowers during the flowering period can have several variations - from pale to rich purple-pink. The size of the flowers varies between 2-2.5 cm. The flowering period occurs at the end of April - beginning of May; in June, the ground part of this flowering plant dies off completely.
The favorite place of growth is the shade or partial shade of deciduous trees. Loose soil rich in organic matter is preferred. Caucasian corydalis rarely reproduces by tubers; usually seeds are used for this purpose, but they quickly lose their viability, so it is recommended to sow them soon after harvesting - in June. It is important to prevent the crops from drying out; they should be provided with sufficient moisture. Plants bloom 3-4 years after sowing under conditions proper care.
Corydalis dubious is a species of perennial flowering plant that grows in the light forests of the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin and Kamchatka. The stems reach 10-15 cm in height, covered with a grayish coating on top. It blooms at the end of April, the flowers have a soft blue tint. A detailed description of this type of corydalis flower is in the photo below:
Forest Corydalis Shangina and Kashmir
Corydalis Shangina. This species of perennial tuberous flowering plant is native to the deserts of Kazakhstan. The flower tuber is about 3 cm in diameter, the stem reaches 35 cm in height, the flowers are up to 4 cm long.
The flowering period of Shangina corydalis is the end of April; in the last days of May the above-ground part already dies off. It blooms with soft purple flowers collected in long, horizontally arranged inflorescences. The foliage has a slight bluish tint.
Kashmiri corydalis. Corydalis cashmeriana is native to the Himalayas. Description of the flower with the name Kashmir corydalis: the height of the peduncle is up to 20 cm, the length of the inflorescence raceme is about 5 cm, the flowers are collected in inflorescences of 2-8 pieces up to 2 cm long. Corydalis cashmeriana blooms in May-June; the above-ground part dies off in August; in drought conditions this happens earlier. With the arrival of autumn, sometimes leaves may appear on the peduncles a second time.
This species of corydalis loves sunny and slightly shaded places, fertile, loose soil, rich in leaf humus and well-drained. Reproduction occurs by daughter nodules or seeds, which are sown in August shortly after harvest. Seedlings bloom no earlier than 3 years after sowing under conditions of proper plant care. It is recommended to replant the tubers into new soil 1-2 times a year immediately after the above-ground part dies.
Corydalis Bunge and Ussuri
Corydalis Bunge (Corydalis bungeana)- a type of biennial tuberous plant that is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. The homeland of Corydalis bungeana is the territory of North-Eastern China, Mongolia, the Korean Peninsula; in Russia, Corydalis Bungeana grows only in the Primorsky Territory.
Corydalis bungeana reaches a height of 55 cm, characterized by a thin root 5-10 cm long and numerous branching shoots. The leaf blades are bluish in color, twice pinnately dissected, the leaves are divided into 2-3 narrow lobules.
In the axils of the leaves there are single flowers 1.5 cm long, pinkish-violet. Flowering time occurs in May-June, fruits ripen in July. The seed capsules are drooping, flat, oval-shaped, about 2.5 cm long.
Ussuri Corydalis (Corydalis ussuriensis). The homeland of the subspecies is the Korean peninsula; the plant has also become widespread in the Primorsky Territory in Russia. Corydalis Ussuri has an elongated stem that reaches a height of up to 25 cm. The tuber is replaced annually by a new one, approximately 2 cm in diameter.
The flowers can be blue or pinkish-purple. It blooms in early May and bears fruit at the end of the month. The seed pods are oval, sometimes irregularly diamond-shaped. Under natural conditions, Corydalis ussuriensis grows in valley cedar-broad-leaved forests.
Growing corydalis in a pot
Very few types of corydalis are suitable for forcing and growing in a pot. The most suitable type of flower for these purposes is the dense corydalis. You should select medium-sized tubers and plant them in a pot with loose, soft garden soil.
When planting, the top of the bulb should be deepened into the ground by 5 mm. After planting, the pot with tubers is transferred to a dark room with an air temperature within +5-8 degrees. Containers with tubers are kept in a dark room for 9 weeks.
After the specified time, the plant is transferred to a well-lit room with an air temperature of +9-12 degrees. During the flowering period, the air temperature should be increased to +15-18 degrees. When the flower fades, cut off the top part and place the pot back in the cold.
Secrets of mastery: Corydalis nodules dry out quickly. They can be stored for a very short time and only in damp moss. It is better to immediately plant the tubers to a depth of 5-10 cm.
