Corydalis solida ssp. solida

Corydalis solida is a small perennial and bulbous plant that forms a spreading carpet, charming with its early spring flowering. Clusters of lilac-pink or purple-pink flowers rise above the delicately crafted foliage. The vegetation then disappears in summer, allowing the bulbs to recover and spread, forming larger patches each year. Easy to grow in ordinary to limestone soil, this plant appreciates partial shade and even grows in full shade.

Corydalis solida is a small bulbous plant native to central and southern Europe, and can be found as far as western Russia. It grows in shady meadows, woods, and coppices, as well as in mountain and subalpine meadows, in limestone soil. Corydalis belongs to the Papaveraceae family (like the poppy).

It can rival horticultural selections in beauty. With a low habit, it forms floral spikes in March and April, about 20cm (8in) tall, emerging from a carpet of leaves. They bear from a dozen to twenty small flowers with short peduncles, forming a cluster. The floral corollas are made up of 4 fused petals forming a long tube that opens into a trumpet at its end, with 2 petals gracefully arching upwards and the other 2 downwards, thus revealing the pistil and stamens. The flower's throat is whitish while the long and slender tube takes on a beautiful pink-purple hue. These clusters of flowers stand erect above the mass of foliage, which serves as their backdrop with its matte green colour. The leaves are doubly, sometimes even triply, dissected, and their shape is reminiscent of columbine leaves, even though they do not belong to the same family. The flowering is followed by the formation of elongated capsule fruits resembling siliques (a characteristic of the cabbage family and some Papaveraceae). Corydalis solida is hermaphroditic and entomophilous (its pollination is done by insects). The above-ground part disappears in summer, while the bulb replenishes its reserves.

Corydalis solida is ideal for filling the understory or carpeting the ground on the edge of trees. It naturalises easily over the years, coexisting well with other later flowering plants since it disappears in the summer. In neutral soil, it can share the space with Dicentra 'Pink Diamonds', a variety of Bleeding Heart with pink flowers that bloom from June on elegant grey-green cut foliage. Fairy Wings will also be perfect companions, such as Epimedium grandiflorum 'Purple Pixie', with its surprising cross-shaped flowers blending purple-pink and cream-white. Appearing in May, they will take over from your corydalis. Beautiful Japanese anemones will extend the flowering season from August to October with their single to double flowers in white, pink, and purple, enhanced with a yellow centre. Corydalis also performs well in pots and creates a beautiful effect in hanging baskets from which it cascades. Plant this corydalis above retaining walls, in cool regions, or in shady rockeries.