Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Houseplants >> Plants for Details >> Bulbs

Holewort (Corydalis cava): Early Spring Ferny Foliage and Flowers

Overview

Corydalis cava, known as holewort, hollowroot, or hollow leek, is a tuberous perennial with ferny foliage and spurred flowers in shades of pink, purple, or white in early spring. It goes dormant by early summer.

Taxonomy

Family:	Papaveraceae (pa-pav-er-AY-see-ee)
Genus:	Corydalis (kor-ID-ah-liss)
Species:	cava (KA-vuh)
Synonym:	Corydalis bulbosa

Culture

Moist, humus-rich soil, part shade. Naturalizes in woodland gardens.

Bulbs: Japanese Roof Iris (Iris tectorum): Charming Species for Shade; Florentina Orris Root Iris: A Historic Source of Perfume; Xanthorhiza simplicissima: Yellow Root – Native Spreading Shrub for Shade; American Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum): Woodland Native with Edible Fruit; Culver's Root (Veronicastrum virginicum): Architectural Native Perennial; Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa): Native Vine with Medicinal Root; Orris Root Iris (Iris 'Florentina'): Source of Precious Perfume Fixative; Blue Corydalis (Corydalis elata); Allium oreophilum (Pink Lily Leek); Three-Cornered Garlic (Allium triquetrum): Edible Wild Onion with Triangular Stems

Garden Articles

Ramps (Allium tricoccum): Wild Leek of Spring Foraging

Culver's Root 'Fascination' (Veronicastrum virginicum 'Fascination'): Lavender Spires for Moist Gardens

Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis): Winter's First White Bells

Camassia (Camassia leichtlinii): Blue Star Spires for Spring

Striped Amaryllis (Hippeastrum striatum)

Oxalis lobata: Yellow Flowers with Clover-Like Leaves

Holewort (Corydalis cava): Early Spring Ferny Foliage and Flowers

Plants

Crocosmia 'Emberglow' (Crocosmia)

Canna altensteinii (Canna)

Azulillo (Pasithea coerulea)

Cissus tuberosa: Succulent Grape Ivy

Clivia (Clivia cyrtanthiflora): Shade-Loving Orange Blooms

Chasmanthe bicolor: Winter-Blooming Cape Coral

Crinum Lily (Crinum angustifolium): Narrow-Leaved Crinum