Pale Corydalis

Capnoides sempervirens (kap-NOY-des sem-per-VY-renz)

Family: Papaveraceae Native Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

Rock harlequin is an annual or biennial wildflower in the poppy family (Papaveraceae) native to rocky woodland and burned or disturbed places in northern North America. It is typically found in the New England states, the Great Lakes area, and south along the Blue Ridge Mountains into the northwestern portion of Georgia. It is abundant in Canada, and it can also be found in Alaska. In North Carolina, it is found infrequently in the mountains and is very rare in the foothills of the Piedmont. It prefers rocky cliffs, granite domes, or rock crevices. The plant 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 are pale, pink, tubular, and have yellow tips. The genus name, Capnoides, is from the Greek word kapnōdēs, meaning smoky. This refers to the plant's bluish-green waxy foliage. The specific epithet sempervirens is Latin and is derived from semper, meaning always, and virens , meaning green. The rock harlequin thrives in full sun or part shade and in dry, well-drained soils with an acidic pH. It tolerates gravelly and poor-quality soils and prefers cold winters and cool summer temperatures. It is best propagated from seeds or division. A basal rosette of blue-green foliage forms in the first year. 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. Flowering can take place from spring to fall, depending on your location. It blooms earliest in the Appalachians and latest in the western states. 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. Consider using this plant in a rock garden, cottage garden, or woodland setting. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant insect or disease problems. It can become weedy.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 61 attributes.