Corydalis solida ‘Dieter Schacht’

Early spring in the garden often highlights a mass planting of snowdrops, Muscari, aconites, crocus and assorted daffodils where the colour range seems to omit the soft pinks, salmon pink and vibrant reds. A favourite group of plants, the highly diverse range of Corydalis solida forms will fill this void. Specialist nurseries now offer a number of cultivars, some of which have recently been given the coveted RHS award of garden merit (AGM).

I will feature just two of these cultivars, the best “doers” which are also currently available in the trade. The first is Corydalis solida ‘Dieter Schacht’ which originated amongst a batch of seedlings raised by the Curator of the alpine department at the Munich Botanic Garden, Dieter Schacht. I made a selection of a few of the best seedlings and named the strongest and, in this case the finest of the shell-pink, flowering forms. Having purchased a pot of this cultivar, it should be planted in a sunny, well-drained spot amongst kindred species such as miniature narcissus and Crocus chrysanthus cultivars. Congested clumps of little tubers will soon establish and can be lifted and divided, carefully during the dormant season in August/September, to allow for distribution of plants. If this or other chosen cultivars are allowed to seed about, expect some variation!

The origin and subsequent introduction of this variable species is a little confusing. They are distributed, in the main, in a rather restricted area in Romania and may have been introduced in the 1920s. They found their way to the Munich Botanic Garden in the 1940s and I brought some forms back to the UK after my apprenticeship there, in the 1970s. They have been further developed in recent years and such has been the proliferation of names that botanist, Dr Alan Leslie recommended Group status: Sunset Group for the red shades and Sunrise Group for the pink-coloured forms. A sensible approach, indeed.

If C. ‘Dieter Schacht is the best of the Sunrise Group, then I would choose an equally fine cultivar from the Sunset Group, C. ‘George Baker’ with crimson-red flowers. Both have been awarded the AGM.

Availability:
www.kevockgarden.co.uk
www.edromnurseries.co.uk
www.pottertons.co.uk