White corydalis | The Morton Arboretum

Family (English) Poppy
Family (botanic) Papaveraceae
Tree or plant type Perennial
Native locale Non-native
Size range Small plant (6-12 inches), Medium plant (12-24 inches)
Light exposure Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily), Full shade (4 hrs or less of light daily)
Hardiness zones Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7
Soil preference Alkaline soil, Moist, Sandy soil, well-drained soil
Tolerances Alkaline soil
Season of interest late spring, early summer, midsummer, late summer
Flower color and fragrance White
Shape or form Mounded
Growth rate Fast, Moderate

Size and form:

White corydalis is 9 to 15 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide and forms mounded clumps.

Native geographic location and habitat:

This plant is native to southeastern European woodlands.

Attracts birds or pollinators:

This perennial is pollinated by bees.

Leaf description:

Blue-green leaves consist of three leaflets, usually lobed. They have long leaf stems that give the plant a fern-like appearance.

Flower description:

Small, white, tubular flowers with a flared lip bloom abundantly from May until September.

Fruit description:

The fruit is a small green pod with black seeds inside.

Plant care:

Plant white corydalis in a well-drained, partly sunny location. It prefers a slightly alkaline soil and sandy or rocky soils with sharp drainage. If the plant dries out or starts to yellow during the summer, cut it back to the basal foliage for fresh, new growth. This species self-sows. To avoid reseeding, cut the foliage to the ground after several killing frosts, and remove the cuttings.