Plant Profile

Pale Corydalis - (Capnoides sempervirens), also known as Rock Harlequin, is an annual or biennial wildflower in the Papaveraceae (Poppy) family which is native to rocky woodland and burned or disturbed places in northern North America. Its range extends from the East coast through the Great Lakes area, and all throughout Canada. The genus name, Capnoides, is from the Greek word kapnōdēs, meaning smoky. This refers to the plant's bluish-green waxy foliage. Meanwhile, the specific epithet sempervirens is Latin and is derived from semper, meaning always, and virens, meaning green.

Pale Corydalis has a clump-forming habit, growing 1 to 4 feet tall, and its foliage is soft, waxy, and blue-green, resembling the fronds of a fern. The flowers themselves are pale, pink, tubular, and have yellow tips. Flowering can take place from spring to fall, depending on your location. The flowers emerge atop the tall stem. They appear in clusters with the pale, pink, tubular blooms dangling from the stem.  Narrow, seed pods appear after the flowering season has ended.

In the first year, the Pale Corydalis will only present a basal rosette of blue-green foliage. It may overwinter as a rosette and flower in the spring. Starting in its second season, it will send up many branched stems that will flower. This plant thrives in full sun or part shade and in dry, well-drained soils with an acidic pH. It tolerates gravelly and poor-quality soils while also preferring cold winters and cool summer temperatures. This is a great plant for those challenging sites where not many other plants seem to grow. Consider using this plant in a rock garden, cottage garden, or woodland setting. Thanks to its ability to withstand higher levels of pH, it also can work well around Evergreen trees.