Corydalis

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Corydalis solida,( kor-rid'uh-lis SOL-ih-dah) or fumewort, is native to northern Europe and Asia.  It has naturalized in many Northeastern woodlands but is not considered an invasive pest by most people.  It can be a delightful addition to the spring garden.  Corydalis are spring ephemerals, which means they begin growing in early spring but disappear by mid-summer. Corydalis are hardy from zones 4-8.

Corydalis has gray-green, ferny looking foliage consisting of a palmately compound leaf and plants get about 10 inches tall.  They form a tuberous root system.

The flowers appear in mid-spring and are held in clusters above the foliage.  They are generally a shade of mauve, lavender or purple but are sometimes rose or white.  Corydalis flowers are long and tubular, with a flare at the tip. The flowers are liked by bees and after pollination form narrow seed pods which ripen about June.  The plant will seed itself and spread if it likes the spot.  It’s a moderate spreader in most places and since it disappears in summer I cannot see it becoming much of a pest.

Corydalis likes moist, woodsy rich soil.  It’s excellent under deciduous trees where it gets some sun before it blooms but is shaded as late spring heat arrives. It’s also a good plant for rock gardens in the north.  I suggest using it in partly shaded gardens combined with windflowers, species tulips, trilliums, trout lilies, bloodroot, bluebells and other small bulbs.  Plant them among later sprouting shade lovers like hosta and astilbe for a pretty show before those larger plants overtake them.  It can be planted along woodland paths and edges.

Gardeners can plant seeds; they should be sown immediately after the pods ripen for best germination.  They probably will not bloom the first year after seed planting in mid-summer.  The best way to start them however, is probably by buying the tubers and planting them in the fall with other spring flowering bulbs. 

There are a few cultivars of corydalis, ‘Beth Evans’ is a pink flowered cultivar, but usually they will be sold as unnamed tubers.  Yellow corydalis, Corydalis lutea, is another species of corydalis sometimes offered for sale with yellow flowers.

Herbal and medicinal uses of corydalis

Corydalis is poisonous and should not be eaten.  The Fumewort tubers have been used medicinally for centuries in Chinese and European folk medicine.  Tubers are harvested after the plants go dormant, dried and powdered.

Uses of Fumewort include as a pain killer and sedative/ anti-anxiety medication and to lower blood pressure.  It was often used for painful menstruation, arthritis, and for painful injuries.  The tuber powder also has antibacterial properties.   The plant also acts as a blood thinner.

Corydalis should be used very carefully in herbal medicine. It can produce hallucinations and serious health problems if not used correctly and in small doses. It should never be used by pregnant or nursing women or those on anti-coagulants.  Tell your doctor if you are taking this.