Corydalis 2014

[Leena]

Thank you Susan and Brian.  I bought the seeds from Holubeck December 2012 (wild collection), they didn't germinate in the spring 2013 and I thought they never will, but this spring one seed germinated so it is very valuable to me. I hope if and when it flowers it will also produce seeds as it is only one plant.
I think I will grow it first in a pot and hope it will grow fast and then think of a place for it where there is not too much wet.
I also have one seedling of Corydalis pseudobarbisepala, from the same source.

[Brian W]

Hi Leena  Wish you success, because a Lidén powerpoint picture shows the flowers of C. panda to be a striking blue.  However, suggest the deeper soil in the pot should be fairly moist in summer, because Flora of China states 3900-4200, slopes, scree, so likely to benefit from its roots reaching slow-flowing snowmelt water.  I'm currently trying to optimize growth for C. calcicola and a number of C. kokiana forms which definitely come from this type of environment.  If you have snow cover in winter, perhaps no need to put the pot in the greenhouse. 
I got C. pseudobarbisepala seed from a different Czech source, but this only grew one plant of a quite different species, possibly C. stricta.  Some years ago I got a stock of C. barbisepala from Chen Yi (called trifoliata by her) and this increaes rapidly and flowers well in both pots and open garden.
Brian W

[Leena]

However, suggest the deeper soil in the pot should be fairly moist in summer, because Flora of China states 3900-4200, slopes, scree, so likely to benefit from its roots reaching slow-flowing snowmelt water.

 I hope I find the right growing conditions for these beautiful plants (they seem more demanding), I'm very into all blue Corydalis right now. . I planted C.cashmeriana last autumn, and it never came up this spring, which was a disappointment. I tried to make it a good place with a good drainage and lot of organic matter, and covered the ground with dry oak leaves for the winter to prevent the soil freezing deep.

I have grown successfully C.elata for many years, but it never produced seeds and last year I got some more of the same type of Corydalis, and I hope then they will now produce seeds. I have now 'Craigton Blue' (but I'm not sure if it is the right plant because in the pictures the flowers of 'Craigton Blue' look "meconopsis" blue, and my plant has just started to flower and the flowers are darker blue  ), C.elata 'Blue Summit' and C.elata x flexuosa 'Blue Dream'. BS and BD don't flower yet and also C.elata flowers here in July. All these seem to like it in woodland bed and increase by runners.
I have also Corydalis 'Korn's Purple' which started to flower two weeks ago, it is a young plant, and smaller than the elata-forms. I planted it behind the elatas, I should move it to the front of the bed.

[Leena]

What do you think, is this 'Craigton Blue'? Another possibility is 'Kingfisher', because the person who gave me this plant has also 'Kingfisher'. Or is this neither?

[Brian W]

Hi Leena  It's almost certainly one of the C. flexuosa x C. omeiana (or reciprocal) crosses (so not Kingfisher).  At least five have been sold commercially in Britain (including Craigton Blue), but names used by nurseries have sometimes been confused, so can't always rely on the label.   In addition the different crosses respond slightly differently to local conditions, so not always the same one which is the most vigorous in a particular place..   The stock in my garden which looks most like your picture was bought as Corydalis "Tory MP". 
Brian W

[Diane Clement]

It does look a very different colour from 'Craigton Blue' and 'Kingfisher', which I find are more pure blue and yours is more purply, but I'm not sure if soil conditions could affect colour.  Here's my 'Craigton Blue' for comparison, always a vigorous plant this time of year!

[Maggi Young]

As Craigton Blue's "mother"  I do not think that your plant is Craigton Blue, Leena.  Diane's photos show the more dissected foliage of CB. CB can have quite a degree of red in the stem in early development, though that can fade out by the stage of growth that Diane's plant shows.

P.S. Diane's photo shows the colour of the flowers very well.

[Leena]

Thank you for the answers. Diane's plants color is the one I have seen in pictures online and right when my plant started to flower I thought that the flowers were the wrong color. Maggi, thank you for pointing out the difference in the foliage also.
And the real CB looks more floriferous, it wouldn't have been named if it wasn't good so I'll have to buy it.
I'll look up the how 'Tory MP' looks.
On the other hand it doesn't matter what the name of the plant is, but then again I would like to know what my plants are..
Except when I start to get seedlings, then they are ok.

[Maggi Young]

Here is a photo from Colin Crosbie of Arisaema ciliatum and Corydalis 'Tory MP' in his garden. He mentions the sweet scent, which is also a feature of 'Craigton Blue' ( which has a strong honeyed scent) but the colour is a  bit different and - of course(!!!) I like CB better!   

[Leena]

Thank you Maggi, for the photo.

[David Nicholson]

Never thought I'd see the words "MP" and "sweet scent" in the same sentence!

[Geoforce]

Diane

Superb color on the Craigton Blue.  Lovely.

Maggi

You might well , as 'mother', be allowed parental pride.  A gorgeous plant.

Geo

[Maggi Young]

Maggi

You might well , as 'mother', be allowed parental pride.  A gorgeous plant.

Geo

 Thank you, Geo  - of course, as fathers often do, Ian claims all the  glory - but in fact we are both  simply caretakers as it was a Bumblebee who is the real star of the show!

[Jacek]

Dear friends, what do you do, that your flexuosas stand upright so nicely?? My ones stand upright as long as there are no flowers. As soon as the first flowers open they start to bend and soon lie completely on the soil when not supported. They still flower nicely for quite long and then go immediately dormant without setting seeds (or very few only). Is it a matter of climate (too hot, I believe)??

The place in my garden is not too dark in my opinion - rather bright shade with occasional direct sunlight.

Or may be this is a matter of particular cross I have?? - though I have three different and they behave the same.

On the contrary - my C. ellipticarpa is still upright though long after flowering.

[Leena]

The unknown plant of which I posted the picture does stay upright without support (it could be more floriferous), but C.elata (if it is elata and not omeiensis) which flowers later needs support and it seems also C.elata 'Blue Summit' is going to need support (it doesn't flower yet). C. elata (or omeiensis) x flexuosa 'Blue Dream' is starting to flower now, I don't have any support for it yet, but I don't know how it will hold it's flower up.
Maybe some crosses don't need support and some do?? I'm also interested about other's experiences on this.