Corydalis ambigua, commonly known as Asian Corydalis, is a tuberous perennial herb native to forest margins, alpine meadows, and shaded areas in East Asia, including China, Korea, Japan, and Siberia. It typically grows to a height of 10-15 cm and spreads 10-30 cm wide. The plant features compound leaves that are finely divided and fern-like in appearance, and it produces delicate, tubular blue to purple flowers in early spring, which are quite showy and can add a splash of color to woodland gardens.

Asian Corydalis is valued for its early spring blooms and its ability to thrive in part to full shade, making it an excellent choice for shaded borders, woodland gardens, and rockeries. It prefers moist, well-drained soils rich in organic matter. While it is relatively low-maintenance, it may go dormant in summer if conditions become too dry. The plant’s tubers contain several alkaloids, including tetrahydropalmatine, which have been used in traditional medicine to treat pain and addiction. In addition to its medicinal uses, Corydalis ambigua is also of culinary interest, particularly among the Ainu people of Japan, who consume the boiled bulbs as part of their traditional diet. Gardeners should be aware that while it is not typically invasive, it can self-seed under ideal conditions.CC BY-SA 4.0