Fumewort, Spring fumewort
Corydalis solida

Family: Papaveraceae

What it is like

Corydalis solida is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 0.1 m (0ft 4in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf from March to July, in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.2

Where it is found

Woods, hedgerows, meadows, orchards and vineyards, usually on stony soils, avoiding calcareous soils.

Europe. Naturalized in Britain.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Root - boiled. Rich in starch. Some caution is advised, there is a report that the plant is toxic.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicine

Rating: 3

Fumewort has been used as a painkiller in Chinese medicine for over 1,000 years. The tuber is anodyne, antibacterial, antispasmodic, hallucinogenic, nervine and sedative. It is used internally as a sedative for insomnia and as a stimulant and painkiller, especially in painful menstruation, traumatic injury and lumbago. It is also used for lowering the blood pressure. Research suggests that it also has an action in the thyroid and adrenal cortex. The tuber should not be prescribed for pregnant women. The tubers are harvested when the plant is dormant and are dried for later use.

Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.

Antibacterial: Kills bacteria.

Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.

Hallucinogenic: Causes the mind to hallucinate.

Nervine: Stimulates and calms the nerves.

Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.

Other

Rating:

How it is grown

Prefers a moist, well-drained rather light soil, thriving in semi-shade. Grows well in a woodland garden or peat bed. Increases well when grown in a bulb frame, but less freely when grown in the garden. A very ornamental and easily grown plant. There are some named varieties. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, the seed rapidly loses viability if it is allowed to become dry. Surface sow and keep moist, it usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c. Germinates in spring according to another report. Two months warm, then a cold stratification improves the germination of stored seed. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be allowed to grow undisturbed in the pot for their first year. Apply liquid feed at intervals during their growing season to ensure they are well fed. The seedlings only produce one leaf in their first year of growth and are very prone to damping off. Divide the seedlings into individual pots once they have become dormant and grow them on in a partially shaded area of a greenhouse for at least another year. Plant them out into their permanent positions when they are dormant. Division after flowering.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 5-9

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: Semi-shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

The plant is poisonous.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

C. bulbosa. C. halleri.