Corydalis

It's hard to find bright color for shade, so it's a puzzle that brightly colored corydalis isn't more widely planted. It's is an outstanding shade plant. Blooms are small, but they appear in clusters. Leaves look similar to those of fringe-leaf bleeding heart. Plants self-seed readily, but excess seedlings are easy to remove. Provide the plant with moist, organic soil for best growth.

Shown above: Yellow corydalis

Light:

Part Sun,Shade

Zones:

4-9

Plant Type:

Perennial,Bulb

Plant Height:

12-18 inches tall

Plant Width:

12-18 inches wide

Landscape Uses:

Containers,Beds & Borders

Special Features:

Flowers,Attractive Foliage,Fragrant,Attracts Birds,Tolerates Wet Soil,Deer Resistant,Easy to Grow

Top Varieties

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'Berry Exciting' corydalis

Corydalis 'Berry Exciting' has ferny golden leaves that set off the purple flowers. Hardy in Zones 5-9, it goes dormant in summer heat.
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'Blackberry Wine' corydalis

Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine' sports fragrant wine-purple tubular flowers from late spring through early summer, or longer in cool climates. Zones 5-8
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Blue corydalis

Corydalis elata, at 16 inches in height in bloom, is taller than the other blue corydalis (C. flexuosa). Its cobalt blue blooms form a bit later and the plant is less likely to go dormant in summer. Zones 6-8
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'Blue Panda' blue corydalis

Corydalis flexuosa 'Blue Panda', like other selections in the species, has elongated blue flowers with spurs in springtime. It dies down midsummer but reemerges for a fall encore. Its name is in reference to its origin in China. Zones 5-9
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'Canary Feathers' corydalis

Corydalis 'Canary Feathers' is a hybrid that features featherlike blue-green leaves and a flower spike of canary yellow blooms in spring and summer, with sporadic bloom in late summer and fall. Zones 6-8
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'China Blue' blue corydalis

Corydalis flexuosa 'China Blue' is an outstanding fragrant selection of the species. Mulch to keep cool and moist; it may go dormant in midsummer's heat. Zones 5-9
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Corydalis ochroleuca

Corydalis ochroleuca is native to rocky woodlands of Europe. It grows and self-seeds in rock walls and other well-drained sites in Zones 5-9. Milky white blooms with yellow throats are borne on blue-green ferny foliage.
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Fumewort

Corydalis solida, sometimes called purple corydalis, grows 6-12 inches tall and bears reddish-purple flower clusters in spring. Zones 4-8
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'Purple Leaf' corydalis

Corydalis flexuosa 'Purple Leaf' emerges early in spring and bears clusters of blue flowers over purplish foliage. In warm weather regions, it will go dormant in summer. Zones 5-9
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Yellow corydalis

Corydalis lutea blooms from spring to fall. Though it's short-lived, it self-seeds readily to make a free-flowering addition to a shady garden. Zones 5-8
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'Snowstorm' fumewort

Corydalis solida 'Snowstorm' is a white form of the species. It is native to Latvia. Zones 4-8
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Garden Plans

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Lush Woodland Garden Plan
Shade Garden
English Victorian Cottage Garden Plan

Plant It With

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Hosta

Gold-variegated hostas look especially attractive paired with yellow or blue corydalis in the shade garden.

Barrenwort

The heart-shape leaves and orchidlike blooms of barrenwort appear to float in the air when teamed with the soft blue-green foliage and flowers of corydalis.

Solomon's seal

Upright arching Solomon's seal looks great with corydalis around its base. The variegated form in particular makes an outstanding backdrop for corydalis.

Propagation

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Seed
Division