Corydalis calycosa

The Corydalis calycosa is an interesting bush for its robustness, attractive bushy habit, and long summer flowering in shades of blue and violet. It is a very hardy perennial plant that is relatively easy to grow in slightly shaded and cool areas of the garden.

The Corydalis calycosa belongs to the Papaveraceae family. It is a botanical species from the high plateaus of the eastern Himalayas, growing in China on the slopes of Balang-Shan at altitudes between 3,000 and 4,000 m. This perennial plant grows relatively slowly and compactly, it is very hardy and much easier to cultivate than the more common varieties of Corydalis flexuosa. This Corydalis calycosa bears large and dense inflorescences in a brighter blue colour, from mid-June to August. An adult plant will occupy about 30 cm in all directions. The upright flower clusters are composed of unusually shaped tubular flowers, tightly elongated and with a wide end. Their exterior colour ranges from cold cobalt blue to warm dark violet. The throat is almost white. The inflorescences are borne on top of stems about 40 cm tall, which slightly arch on the sides of the clump, but are not pendulous: their shape is like a "V", they are wide and flexible. The main flowering period lasts 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the age of the plant and the richness of the soil. The leaves are bright green on top and pale green-blue underneath. They dry out in autumn and reappear in spring.

The Corydalis calycosa is a plant for semi-shade and humus-bearing soil that will express its full potential at the edge of woodland or in a border. It will thrive in morning sun, between the stones of a slightly damp rockery or under trees or shrubs if the soil remains moist. It forms beautiful borders along a path or a perennial bed. It can be associated, for example, with the cousin of Solomon's Seal (Uvularia grandiflora), hardy fuchsias, bleeding hearts, lungworts, and small ferns. Under slightly warm climates, the plant tends to go dormant in summer.