Corydalis solida Purple Bird

Corydalis solida 'Purple Bird' is a small perennial and bulbous plant with early spring flowering. It bears an abundance of small purple tubular flowers, which are strangely spurred. They are arranged in somewhat disordered clusters on a tangle of finely cut foliage. The flowers resemble small exotic birds perched on a nest of greenery. Plant the bulbs in fertile, moist but well-drained soil, in shade or partial shade, and they will grow without care and quickly produce small daughter bulbs that will expand the clump. A virtually foolproof plant!

Corydalis solida is a small bulbous plant native to central and southern Europe and boreal and western Asia. It grows in shady meadows, woods, and copse, as well as in mountain and subalpine meadows, on limestone soil. It belongs to the Papaveraceae family, just like poppies.

The cultivar 'Purple Bird' is a recent horticultural creation, resulting from cross-breeding between the botanical species Corydalis solida in its violet-flowered form and C. solida 'Zwanenburg'. This hardy plant develops its foliage in spring. Its light grey-green leaves are divided into 3 narrow, cut, and ovate segments. They measure from 5 to 8cm (2 to 3in) long. Corydalis solida 'Purple Bird' reaches a height of about 20cm (8in) and a width of 20 to 25cm (8 to 10in) at maturity. The flowering takes place in spring, from March to May, in the form of compact and erect clusters composed of numerous tube-shaped purple flowers, 1 to 2cm (1in) long. They are terminated by 2 lips open on an almost white throat and equipped with a slender spur, curved downwards. The flowers are gathered in dense spikes on the upper part of an upright stem. The flowering is followed by the formation of elongated capsules called siliques. Corydalis solida is hermaphrodite and entomogamous (its pollination is done by insects). The foliage disappears in summer.

Corydalis 'Purple Bird' is a shade-loving plant that will reveal its full potential at the edge of woodland. It can be planted with other perennials that are not afraid of competition from tree or bush roots. Accompany it with the cousin of Solomon's Seal (Uvularia grandiflora), hardy fuchsias, creeping bugleweed, Japanese anemones, Balkan digitalis, Tricyrtis, a carpet of periwinkles, and 'Ivory Heart' bleeding heart. This plant also performs very well in pots and produces a beautiful effect in hanging baskets from which it cascades. Plant this corydalis above walls or in shady rockeries.