With the arrival of spring, when the snow just melts, the sun begins to warm, the first green leaves appear on the trees, and primroses begin to bloom in the forest. Already at the beginning of April, the chistya, anemone, lumbago, goose onion and, of course, the amazing corydalis flower are pleased with their flowering. Having taken a liking to sunny slopes, the corydalis grows well in bushes, cleared forests, rocky gardens and near water bodies.
Corydalis flower - photos and varieties
The perennial plant, native to the central and western region of China, is a tuberous plant. Tubers are rounded roots that spread out wide.
Most plant species grows up to 20-30 cm. Its green or bluish leaves are divided into lobules. At the tops of the stems there are long flowers collected in brushes, consisting of four petals and reaching a diameter of up to 2 cm. Up to 30 flowers can bloom on one peduncle at once. The outer and inner colors of the flower petals have different colors, due to which it seems that the corydalis flowers have “eyes”.
Popular types of corydalis
In the forests of central Russia they grow the most unpretentious plant species, which feel great in both light and heavy ordinary garden soils.
Other types of corydalis grow in the lowlands and deserts of Central Asia:
- Ryast Popova is an Asian plant with bright purple-pink flowers and thick white spurs. The length of the flower reaches 4.5 cm.
- Corydalis Ledebur is distinguished by a multi-flowered raceme, on which flowers of various colors and shapes are located. Thick and sharp spurs can be pale pink, pale yellow or white, but with bright edges.
- Ryast Darvaz is a plant with a large, deeply buried tuber, from which several stems grow. The bluish leaves of the plant lie on the ground. The flowers are located on a loose raceme and are held on thin stalks. The yellowish or pinkish spurs on the lower flap may be spotted with burgundy or brown spots.
- Corydalis holostem is distinguished by a small tuber and green tender leaves that frame a single stem. Its light purple flowers, collected in a neat brush, have dark bends. The plant loves damp areas, so it is often found near streams under bushes and near melting snowfields.
To grow wonderful primroses in your flowerbed, you can dig up, move and plant a plant from the forest.
When digging up a tuber, you need to remember that its roots are quite deep. Therefore, the dug plant should have a large lump of earth.
Only certain species of corydalis reproduce by dividing the tubers. Only Kashmir and Bush corydalis form small side tubers. Large tubers are buried to a depth of 10-15 cm, and small ones - 5-7 cm.
The plant can also be propagated by seeds, which must be sown immediately after harvest. You should hurry because the seeds may lose their viability in just a week. When caring for crops, you need to ensure that the soil does not dry out. Flowers of corydalis planted with seeds will bloom only in the third or fourth year of growth.
Where to plant corydalis in the garden?
The choice of location depends on the type of plant:
- Asian species love high ridges and hills located in well-lit areas;
- Caucasian and forest corydalis are best planted in the shade or partial shade of bushes or trees.
A good solution would be to plant corydalis on lawns. It will have time to bloom and produce seeds even before the first mowing of the grass.
In flower beds, the plant can be planted between late-growing large perennials (hostas or peonies).
You can plant corydalis even in inconvenient places. For example, under trees or bushes with branches lying on the ground.
When choosing a location, do not forget about the composition of the soil. Asian plant species thrive in well-drained, heavy clay soils. Loose soil rich in organic matter is loved by forest species of corydalis.
Forcing primrose
To obtain flowers in the off-season, you can only use dense corydalis. When forcing it out, it is necessary follow some guidelines:
Pot with faded corydalis Put it in the refrigerator until spring.
Useful properties of corydalis
Ryasta tubers are known for their medicinal properties. Preparations made from them have antiseptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hypnotic and antioxidant effects.
Infusions and decoctions prepared from corydalis tubers are used for intestinal diseases, convulsions, arterial hypertension, arthritis, arthrosis, and joint damage. The powder made from the roots of the plant is widely used to treat gynecological diseases, nervous excitability, liver diseases, and insomnia.
Corydalis tubers are being harvested only after fruiting. They are cut into slices and dried. The remaining parts of the plant contain toxic substances and are therefore not used.
Plants planted in a shady garden will eventually grow on their own, forming a blooming carpet every spring. Wherever you look in early spring - under the trees, on the rock garden or on the lawn - primroses bloom everywhere, of which there are a lot at this time of year.
Charming Corydalis
From the second year of development, the main root of the dense corydalis dies, and in its place adventitious roots are formed, which are replaced annually. The tubers of the plant also change annually. The formation of a young tuber begins in the spring, during this period, which arises at the base of the shoot, a new tuber replaces the old one, which was depleted during the wintering period. At the same time, the formation of a new shoot occurs, all parts of which, by this moment, are already contained in the renewal bud. The development of the renewal bud occurs throughout the entire previous summer-autumn-winter period. The new shoot, which has a large cup-shaped leaf, also has a pair of delicate trifoliate leaves attached to small petioles in the middle part of the shoot.
Corydalis dense: flowering
Flowering of dense corydalis, which usually takes place in April-May, first occurs only at 4-6 years of life. The pink-purple flowers are usually packed in a dense raceme. The flower contains two sepals, which fall off early, and four corolla petals: one has a long spur, the bottom of which serves as the location of the nectary. The plant has a single pistil formed from two fused pseudoleaves and six stamens. In the second half of May, the capsule fruit ripens. The seeds are shiny, black, with white fleshy appendages that attract ants, which spread them.
It is curious that in many regions the collection of corydalis is prohibited by law, and the plant itself is included in the list of protected plants. The reason for this is that the plant tuber is very loosely fixed in the soil. Therefore, when collecting bouquets, many plants that are uprooted die. This has led to the fact that dense corydalis has practically disappeared from suburban areas. Myrmecochory, which is the name given to the method of seed dispersal by ants, is the only method of dispersal. When observing such plants, an interesting fact was noticed: the number of sprouted seeds increases if they were previously nibbled by ants. The so-called elaiosomes (or arriloids) are attractive to ants - those same white growths already mentioned, located on the seeds of the plant.
Planted with perennials, corydalis can liven up the appearance of your flower garden during its flowering period. At this moment, perennial plants have not yet bloomed, but when this finally happens, the flowering of the corydalis has already stopped. This way, you can enjoy your flowering lawn for a longer period of time.
Corydalis dense: reproduction
The main method of propagation of corydalis is propagation by seeds. However, in certain periods of its life, in particular at the end of its development, the corydalis can also reproduce vegetatively. This happens when not one, but two renewal buds form on the tuber. In this case, the development of two independent tubers is possible, giving life to two plants. they are used by ants for food.
Corydalis is widespread in steppes, forests, and semi-desert regions of the European part of Russia. Corydalis is included in the environmental lists and is a poisonous plant.
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 the Greek word "cons" - helmet, which refers to the characteristic shape of the flower. The plant is popularly called “corydalis”.
Biological features
The most diverse annual and perennial species of corydalis differ greatly 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 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.
A very interesting group of 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 them to decorate alpine slides and 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 an empty space. 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.
There are about 300 species of corydalis, which are common in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, 1 species in the mountains of tropical Africa. The flowers are irregular, spurred, whitish, yellow, violet or purple, in a racemose inflorescence.
Corydalis spend most of their life underground in the form of a thick tuber that serves as a container for reserve nutrients. Only in spring can one observe their above-ground shoots, which immediately after the formation of fruits wither and soon die. The growing season for corydalis lasts only from 1 to 1.5 months. All of them belong to early spring ephemeral plants. Aboveground shoots of corydalis are capable of growing under snow; during winter and early spring, under the thickness of snow, the leaves and flowers that have formed in the fall are finally formed on them. This allows corydalis to bloom as soon as the snow melts and the soil temperature reaches 3-3.5°C. These plants are pollinated by long-proboscis insects (bumblebees, bees), which can reach the nectar hidden in the depths of the spur. And their seeds are carried by ants, because the seeds of corydalis are equipped with a special fleshy appendage, the juicy oily tissue of which attracts these insects. The seeds germinate only in the spring of next year, since they fall immature.
Most common in Russia dense corydalis, or Hallera. As soon as the snow melts, it is already blooming. Low stems with lacy, lacy leaves and a dense cluster of lilac flowers at the top rise above the fallen leaves in the forest. Corydalis is a small and fragile plant. The stem of the corydalis is succulent, the leaves are thin and soft. If you pick a stem with flowers, it withers and droops very quickly.
The corydalis inflorescence has a very simple structure. Thin branches-peduncles extend from the main axis in different directions, and each of them ends in a small lilac flower. The shape of the flower is peculiar, a little bizarre. In front, the flower is almost the same as that of a snapdragon; its corolla seems to be two-lipped. And from the side it looks somewhat like a cornucopia, as it is usually drawn. The end of the horn is blunt and rounded. This is the so-called spur. Nectar is stored here. It is quite a long way from the entrance to the flower to the nectar. Only insects with a sufficiently long proboscis can get this sweet juice. On sunny, warm days, corydalis flowers are often visited by bumblebees, butterflies, and bees. In warm weather, the scent of flowers, reminiscent of lilac, is especially noticeable. Corydalis flowers are not only honey-bearing, but also fragrant.
A corydalis stem with leaves and flowers grows from a small nodule that overwinters in the soil. The nodule is yellowish, looks like a slightly flattened ball, and is larger in size than a cherry. It usually sits at some depth in the soil.
At the end of the nodule, a large bud is visible in the fall. By spring, it turns into a long sprout that reaches almost to the surface of the earth. As soon as the snow melts, the plant immediately comes out into the light. The structure of the sprout is peculiar. It is dressed on the outside in a thick, translucent case. Such a case provides good protection for the delicate bud of a plant breaking through the soil layer. As soon as the sprout reaches the surface, the case bursts in the longitudinal direction, releasing a small, still underdeveloped stem with leaves and inflorescence. At first, the stem is bent like a hook, and the leaves and inflorescence are gathered together into a dense lump. But soon the stem straightens, the leaves unfurl, and finally the plant blooms. The growth of the corydalis ends here; it no longer increases in size. The plant has a well-developed stem, leaves, and flowers. At the bottom of the stem, near the ground, you can see a small brownish shoot directed to the side. This is the remnant of the same protective case that covered the corydalis sprout when it emerged from the ground.
Corydalis blooms for a very short time - in warm weather, only a few days. The corollas of the flowers fade, wither and then fall to the ground. Soon, in place of the flowers, greenish fruits, similar to pods, are visible.
When the corydalis has completely faded, it is difficult to find it in the grass among other plants. There are no longer any bright, noticeable flowers, and the whole plant becomes monochromatic, completely green. Even the fruits do not stand out in any way by color.
The corydalis fruit is oval, with sharp ends, and strongly flattened. When ripe, it seems to split in the longitudinal direction into two flat flaps, which diverge to the sides and then fall off. At the same time, seeds spill out onto the ground. In addition to the valves, the fruit also has a thin oval-shaped “frame” to which the seeds are attached. When the fruit opens, this part of it also separates and is clearly visible.
Corydalis seeds are black, shiny, slightly smaller than a grain of millet. On the side of each seed there is a juicy white appendage of an elongated shape. This appendage attracts ants, which serve as carriers of corydalis seeds. With the help of ants, the seeds of not only corydalis, but also many other forest plants are spread - some sedges, hairy beetles, various violets, wood sorrel, and hoofweed.
Corydalis is an inhabitant of deciduous forests. Most often it can be found in oak forests. You will not find a corydalis in a coniferous forest - a spruce forest, a pine forest. Constant shading throughout the year is unfavorable for it. The corydalis is adapted to life in deciduous forests, where there is a lot of light in early spring. These are the conditions needed for its normal development.
At the end of spring, when it becomes dark in the forest, the corydalis begins to turn yellow, and then lies down on the ground and dries up. Summer comes - the most favorable time for the development of plants, but the corydalis is no longer visible, it disappears from the forest. The above-ground part of the plant dies completely. Only a living nodule remains in the soil, which next spring will give rise to a new stem with lacy leaves and lilac flowers. This is the unusual “development schedule” of the corydalis. In the short spring period, until the forest is covered with leaves and there is enough light under the trees, the corydalis has time to grow, bloom and bear fruit. It develops amazingly quickly. This plant bears fruit unusually early, even before the onset of summer.
Corydalis reproduces well by seeds. It cannot reproduce in any other way: it has neither underground creeping rhizomes nor creeping above-ground shoots. The plant remains in the same place all its life. Corydalis can spread laterally only with the help of seeds. And, as we already know, ants help her in dispersing these black grains. They are the ones who carry the seeds to different parts of the forest, where they then germinate.
Of course, from the germination of a seed to the formation of an adult plant capable of flowering, more than one year passes. First, small shoots appear with slightly dissected leaves and a tiny nodule. Over the years, the leaves become larger, they more and more resemble the leaves of an adult plant. The nodule also increases in size over time.
Corydalis solida, or Haller (Corydalis solida (L.) Clairv.)
Description of appearance:
Flowers: The flower raceme is quite dense, cylindrical. The bracts are wedge-obovate, incised in front into linear lobes or jagged. The sepals are very small and inconspicuous. The corolla is pink-violet, up to 20 mm long. The stigma is disc-shaped, finely warty-toothed along the edge.
Leaves: At the base of the stem with a scale-like leaf, in the axil of which a shoot can develop. With two petiolate leaves with double or triple trifoliate blades; segments on long petioles, incised almost to the base into linear-oblong, slightly wedge-shaped lobes; sometimes the lobes are entire or have 2-4 blunt teeth at the apex.
Height: 10-25 cm.
Root: With a small dense tuber up to 1.5 cm in diameter.
Fruit: Oblong capsule, 10-12 mm long, drooping.
Blooms in April-May; the seeds ripen in May.
Lifespan: Perennial.
Habitat: Corydalis dense grows in light forests, in clearings and forest edges, on humus and non-turf soil; disappears as the grass cover develops, especially from rhizomatous herbs.
Prevalence: European look. In Russia it is found throughout the European part, except for the northernmost regions.
Addition: It spreads with the help of ants that take away the seeds. Together with dense corydalis, a smaller, but very similar plant often grows - Corydalis intermedia (L) Merat, which has a European range; It is distinguished by a few-flowered raceme (of 3-6 flowers) and entire bracts.
Corydalis (Corydalis cava (L.) Schweigg. et Koerte)
Description of appearance:
Flowers: Flower raceme on a long peduncle, cylindrical. The bracts are entire, large, with a purple tint, oblong or ovoid, sharp. The sepals are very small. Corolla up to 25 mm long, dark purple, violet-pink or white. The style is straight, with a disc-shaped stigma, finely warty and crenate along the edge.
Leaves: With two double- or triple-triple leaves; leaf segments on long petioles, lobes almost sessile, 2-3 incised, coarsely toothed, wedge-shaped.
Height: up to 40 cm.
Root: With a large spherical tuber, gradually rotting from below and from the inside and growing from above.
Flowering and fruiting time: It blooms in late April-May, the seeds ripen in late May - early June.
Lifespan: Perennial.
Habitat: Corydalis grows in forests of various compositions, mainly on rich, moderately moist soil, often in ravines.
Prevalence: Distributed in Europe, Transcaucasia (very rare) and Asia Minor. In Russia it is found in the strip of coniferous-deciduous and broad-leaved forests of the European part, including in the non-chernozem zone of Central Russia.
Addition: It reproduces by seeds, which are spread by ants.
Marshall's Corydalis (Corydalis marschalliana (Pall. ex Willd.) Pers.)
Description of appearance:
Flowers: Flower raceme on a long peduncle, rather loose, cylindrical. The bracts are entire, green, oblong or ovate, large. Sepals are filmy, toothed. The corolla is up to 2.5 cm long, light yellow, less often pink-yellow. The stigma is disc-shaped, warty-toothed along the edge.
Leaves: Leaves petiolate, twice trifoliate; leaf segments are on long petioles, and the lobes are sessile, wide, entire; The middle lobe is solid, the lateral lobes are bipartite.
Height: 15-35 cm.
Stem: Direct.
Root: With a conical dense tuber dying from below.
Fetus: Box 15-20 mm long.
Flowering and fruiting time: Blooms in April-May, bears fruit in June.
Lifespan: Perennial.
Habitat: Marshall's Corydalis grows in deciduous forests, on slopes and ravines, in rich, often calcareous soil.
Prevalence: Distributed in the Balkans, the southern half of the East European Plain, the Caucasus and Mother Asia. In Russia it is found mainly in the chernozem zone of the European part, to the north - rarely and sporadically.
Addition: It spreads with the help of ants that take away the seeds.
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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 any 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, painted bright green, and 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 because of 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 saplings and 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 its spectacular decorative appearance, it has become popular in gardening.
Corydalis 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 winters well in the 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 are bordered by 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”.
