Description of the flower of Corydalis can be started by saying that it is one of the perennial plants that have a very short growing season. It is a representative of a large genus of herbaceous plants of the Dymyankovye family. Germinating in the still bare April forest, in mid-June, the Corydalis is no longer found. More than 200 species grow in the Himalayas and China. In general, the range covers the vast temperate latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, and the most widespread, including in our forests, are considered three varieties: dense, hollow, and Marshall crested.
General characteristics of the species
The plant is a tuberous ephemeroid, therefore, it is characterized by rapid germination, early ripening of fruits and complete dying off of the aerial parts. A vital supply of nutrients builds up in the tubers, so vegetation resumes in the next favorable season.
And now a general description of the flower. Corydalis differs both in appearance and in structure. The plant is characterized by a low fleshy stem with a length of 15 to 25 centimeters and twice or thrice dissected leaves. The foliage is rich, and inflorescences are located on top of it with bright loose brushes. Sepals are almost invisible. Each individual flower of the Corydalis has an elongated base shape and consists of four small petals, with the ends of the upper and lower petals slightly turned outward. Each flower has one or two small leaves - bracts. In different places you can find yellow, pink, purple, blue, white crested.
Corydalis flower and varieties of this plant are excellent honey plants, in the spurs of which a lot of sweet nectar accumulates. True, only insects with long proboscis, such as bumblebees, manage to get it. The ripe fruit of a plant is a dry box that resembles a pod in which seeds are formed. They are quite large, black, with a shiny surface and a juicy white plum - a real delicacy of forest ants, who collect seeds and play a large role in the distribution of the species.
So what is so interesting crested with? The description, useful properties, application of this perennial plant we will consider further.
Plant description
Corydalis form lush bushes with numerous foliage, and during flowering, bright inflorescences, like candles, rise above a green veil. Tubers are a roundish root that has grown in width, in which peculiar hollow holes form with age. Every year, a young tuber is formed inside the old one, which turns into its shell.
External description of the flower: Corydalis has a low stalk with several light scaly leaves at the base; dense green or bluish dissected foliage; flower brushes are located at the very tops of the stems; irregular, but graceful four-petal flower, elongated in length.
If you look closely, you will notice that the two fused inner petals protrude a little forward, like a spout, poking between wrapped outer ones. The period of Corydalis flowering occurs in late April and early May, and by mid-June the flowers, stem and leaves die off completely.
Corydalis habitat
Favorite habitats of this plant are penumbra areas of deciduous forest that do not have a dense canopy of grass and shrubs. A plant needs sunlight to have time to start and go through a full cycle of vegetation, therefore, corydalis make the maximum use of the spring period, when the grass has not yet risen high, and forest trees have not blossomed their dense green foliage.
Features of vegetation
Tufted tuberous ephemeroid (description of the plant, care for it is so interesting to many) is developing quite quickly. It is the spectacular decorative appearance of the plant that attracts the attention of gardeners. Therefore, one should know the main features of its vegetation: after dispersing the seeds and dying off the aerial parts, only the tufted tuber, hidden deep in the ground, remains alive and awaits the coming of next spring; new life originates from the large bud of renewal, which is formed on the top of the tuber and by March will approach the very surface of the soil in order to immediately give a young shoot with the first warmth.
origin of name
Everyone knows that Corydalis is a flower. The description for children, as well as for adults, is based on associations: the unusual shape of the flowers resembles a crest of a bird, where the name of the plant came from. Similar in meaning and national names inherent in different peoples.
It is believed that the scientific name of this genus comes from the ancient Greek word “coribalos”, by the name of the crested lark. According to one of the old legends, spring larks fell out among themselves and had a big fight. And the birds beat so fiercely that they tore apart one another's forelocks and spurs, which, having fallen on the forest ground, sprouted with beautiful flowers of crested.
Here you have a fabulous crested flower. The description of why they called him that way is also in German culture. There the plant is called "Spur lark". There is also an ancient Slavic legend of the origin of the name of the flower. According to her, every night the old witch flew around the property on a broomstick, and at dawn she returned to her forest hut to sleep and rest. But as soon as she was dozing off, the rooster cried out to meet the dawn, preventing the old woman from falling asleep. Then the angry witch and turned him into a silent flower of Corydalis. Because of this, other names of the plant are popularly used: “males” or “hens”.
Corydalis care
Very unpretentious for breeding plant Corydalis. We will consider the description, reproduction, care of spectacular flowers on examples of those varieties that grow well in central Russia: hollow, smoky-leaved, Caucasian, Magadan, low, narrow-leaved, Marshall, Bush, Kuznetsov and others. They decorate gardens, flower beds and flower beds.
Forest and Caucasian species, including dense crested, a description of which has much in common, are planted in the shade and partial shade of deciduous trees. Large tubers are usually buried to a depth of 10-15 centimeters, and small tubers - 5-7 centimeters. Corydalis is loved by humus-rich, loose sandy loam (for forest species) and heavy clay (for Asian species) soils.
Asian species prefer well-lit hills, and in the case of wet summers, tubers can be dried for a month during the dormant period (from mid-June).
Corydalis breeding
Description of the flower Corydalis involves familiarity with the characteristics of the reproduction of this plant. All transplant operations are carried out both during the rest period and at the peak of flowering (the stem along with a lump of earth): in one case it is absolutely safe, although it is difficult to find small tubers in the ground, and in the other case it is convenient, since the shoots are clearly visible .
Corydalis is propagated by seed, although some species, such as Bush and Kashmir, can form small side tubers. Seeds do not store for a long time, so they should be sown immediately after collection. Flowering will occur only in the 3-4th year.
The use of Corydalis
Bright multi-colored Corydalis look great on alpine slides, lined with stone, surrounded by crocuses, tulips, snowdrops, host. They are also an integral part of the colorful compositions of flower beds, park lawns and decorative flower beds.
Due to the high content of alkaloids, the plant is used in medicine and pharmacology. Drugs based on it relieve muscle tone, have a sedative effect on the nervous system, dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Nevertheless, different types of Corydalis are of most interest as a decorative landscape gardening culture.