Perennial There, Dormant Here: Corydalis

I was just reading comments on the blog of Paul from Alabama when I noticed he told John of Mac Gardens that they say Corydalis won't grow in north Alabama.

I have a story to tell about Corydalis. Some years ago I noticed this ferny little plant growing across the highway under the power line along a fence. I tried to transplant some and naturally it died because that was during the time when I did not live here full time. There had been no more because powerful spraying takes place under power lines here to insure that nothing grows there except for pine trees which then can be topped to grow in grotesque shapes, but I digress. The Corydalis was gone forever until two years ago when I noticed fern-like foliage among the chickweed around some daffodils. Sure enough it bloomed and guess what? The blossoms were yellow.

I searched diligently for Corydalis online. With a few exceptions the consensus is that it is Native to Europe, that it likes to grow around rocks and that it may have naturalized in the U.S.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PSLU2

http://www.uvm.edu/pss/ppp/jul99per.html

Yellow Fumitory

Corydalis is a member of the Papaver Family. Doesn't look anything like a poppy.

John grows his in the shade and it lasts and blooms through the summer. Mine dies back with the daffodils, as if it was part of that show. If I could eliminate chickweed it would be a real show.

Corydalis, 2009

Flowers and text are from the garden of Nell Jean blogged on Dotty Plants Journal in hot, humid Southwest Georgia.