Corydalis wilsonii

The story of Corydalis, is similar to that of Galanthus (Snowdrops). Everyone wants them and choice forms and species are both costly, and sell out quickly. Just about any species of Corydalis is collectable, with only a few being weedy. The most collectable at the moment are the species that are tuberous, C. solida and others. If you are not familiar with them, find them, try them, grow them.

Corydalis wilsonii kick starts our Corydalis season, it starts blooming in January in the cold greenhouse. It is a tender species, and cannot freeze. Corydalis come in many forms, some are perennial, biennial, bulbous (or more properly, tuberous),as well as being either alpine, woodland, emphermal and even invasive spreaders. This yellow species, C. wilsonii, discovered in 1903 by Chinese Wilson himself, is a cliff dweller, and I believe that the trick is cold, circulating air, since many have told me that they have the plant for only a short time, and then it rots. I believe that it is biennial anyway (like the Corydalis's closest cousin in the subfamily Fumariaceae, the Bleeding Heart) and, ultimately, at the end of the day, they are all among the greater family of Papaveraceae, the poppies.
C. winsonii is easy when grown from seed (this plant is from NARGS seed 2004), in nature it grows among dry rocks at 3050 m in Hubei province, in China. It cannot be grown outside well, it is a true alpine house plant, and is best kept year round under glass to protect it from excessive moisture and freezing temperatures. The good news is that seed is purportedly formed in profusion, and it will self seed around the greenhouse (Liden,Zetterlund;2007), but I can't confirm that yet, since I only pollenated today.

All Corydalis became collectable in the 1990's with a re-awakening of the latent corydalis gene by some trigger, (probably some blue Hinkleyesque perennial species) and the craze started. Do a little research before you buy a species though, since perennial forms are hardy USDA zone 6 and lower. The more informed horticulturist will go straight to their specialty bulb catalogs and purchase any of the tuberous (bulbous) species, which are amazingly beautiful in the early spring garden. Look for names forms of C. solida which are available only in the fall from the better bulb catalogs or if you are serious, get Janis Ruksans catalog from Lativa, he breeds and sells the most impressive collection in the world, but order the catalog now, since you will need to order in July while they are dormant. You are not going to find these are a nursery.