Amateur Gardening – 13 July 2019

13 JULY 2019AMATEUR GARDENING 21

Cultivation will need to vary

according to type, but all

require a well-drained soil,

so consider a raised bed

in gardens where the soil

waterlogs in winter.

Certain corydalis (such

as C.malkensis, C.solida,

C.flexuosa and C.lutea) are

happy with woodland-style

conditions, so use moist, humus-

rich soil. A few from higher altitudes

prefer sun and sharp drainage in a rock or dry garden.

Like spring-flowering bulbs, tuberous corydalis need

spring moisture in order to thrive.

The smaller-growing corydalis will grow faster and

perform better if they are treated to a general-purpose

feed when they are in growth.

Propagate spring-flowering tuberous corydalis by

dividing their clumps while dormant from summer to

autumn. Divide summer-flowering corydalis in spring.

Care and cultivation

Four cracking corydalis

Corydalis malkensis

A summer-dormant

woodlander from the

Caucasus, this pretty

fumitory will produce

creamy white blooms

every spring. Reaches

only 8in (20cm) high.

Corydalis solida

‘Beth Evans’

A good doer, with pretty

coral-pink flowers that open

in spring against grey-green

leaves, at 6in (15cm) tall.

This tuberous perennial is

dormant from midsummer.

Corydalis solida

‘Purple Bird’

Flowers of light and dark

purple-pink contrast with

ferny blue-green leaves in

March and April. A robust

summer-dormant plant,

growing to 8in (20cm).

John Swithinbank / TI Media

Wikicommons

Corydalis lutea

A familiar sight sprouting

from walls and filling borders,

this bright yellow-flowered

evergreen fumitory will fill

gaps, helping prevent and

smother weeds. Reaches

12-16in (30-40cm).

Cultivation will need to vary

conditions, so use moist, humus-

rich soil. A few from higher altitudes

Wikicommons

Some corydalis, like

C. fl exuosa, prefer

woodland conditions