ORNAMENTAL PLANTS OF HORTICULTURE VALUE
Selection of perennials
|Fumariaceae, sometimes included in Papaveraceae
A large genus of some 300 species in the temperate regions of
the Northern Hemisphere, of which 70 in the FSU. There are
numerous endemics, especially in Central Asia. In addition,
15 species occur in the Far East and about 10 in the Caucasus.
Some species have taproot, others a tuber.
C. ambigua Cham. et Schlecht.
Far East (Sakhalin, Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, in mainland
coastal area near the Sea of Okhotsk), northern Japan, China and
Korea. In forests, on grassy hills, along streams and on banks.
A quite variable species. Tuber flattened-globose, to 1.5-3.0
cm across. Stems 2 or 3, 10-20 cm; leaves 2-4, biternate,
blue-green. Flowers in loose racemes, clear blue-violet with
long spur. V - early spring to mid-summer. Fl - April or May
(in St. Petersburg) for 3-4 weeks. Fr - June. P - by fresh seed,
can be self-sown. Does well in semishade, on a moist, well-drained
soil. Well suited to the rock garden. Z 4. New.
C. bracteata (Stephan) Pers.
Siberia (Altay, Sayans, Dahuria) and Mongolia. In forests,
Rootstock tuberous, small, 8-30 mm diam. Stem up to 10-50 cm
during flowering period. Flowering shoot with one large membraneous
leaf and two glaucous-green, 2-ternate leaves 5-35 cm x 5-10 cm.
Inflorescence cymose, flowers 2-15, yellow, with corolla 1.5-4.5
cm diam. V - April to early July. Fl - early summer (April-May in
St. Petersburg), for 3-4 weeks. Fr -early June. P - by seed or by
division (by daughter tubers). Self-propagating species which once
established can grow for many years in the same place. Undemanding
to soil and illumination but sensitive to high level of ground water,
prefering well-drained soil. Z 4. New.
C. buschii Nakai
Far East (southern regions), Japan, China and Korea. In open
woodlands, moist sites.
Rhizome creeping with tubers of irregular form. Stem usually
single, erect, 10-25 cm. Leaves 3-4, long-petiolate 3- or 4-ternate,
blue-green. Flowers 15-25 in racemes, pink or purple. Corolla
erect, 25-35 mm long, with long spur. V - early spring to mid-summer.
Fl - May. Fr - June-July. P - by seed sown immediately when ripe,
also very easy by division (by annual tubers, by stolons). Z 5. New.
C. gigantea Trautv. et C.A. Mey.
Far East (Ussuryiskiy, Zeya-Bureinskiy, Udskiy and Okhotskiy
regions and Sakhalin Island), northern China and Korea. In open
woodlands, in open coniferous forests, mainly in moist places.
Taproot and rhizome thick, tuber-like, 60-70 cm deep, 6-10 cm
diam. Stems up to 120 cm, branched, with 3 bracts near the base and
5 large green leaves. Leaf blade 2- or 3-ternate. Lobes of leaflets
oblong or linear. Racemes dense or sometimes loose, 10-25 cm long,
branched, with small but numerous dark pink flowers. V - early
spring to mid-summer (in St. Petersburg April to July). Fl - May
or June for 3-4 weeks. Fr - July. P - by seed, sown immediately
when ripe, or by division of tuberous rhizomes. Requires a partly
shade site. Z 4. New.
C. nobilis (L.) Pers.
Siberia (Altay) and Central Asia (Tarbagatay). Among shrubs, on
rocky places, and in shady ravines.
Stem 40-50 cm high. Taproot long and thick, often dessected at
the top. Basal leaves petiolate, glaucous 3-pinnatesect, stem
leaves shortly petiolate. Inflorescence short, compact, cymose.
Flowers yellow or orange-yellow with dark spots. Inner petals
dark violet at the top. V - early spring to mid-summer (in St.
Petersburgh April to July). Fl - April to May for 2-3 weeks.
Fr - June. P - by seed, sown immediately when ripe. Plants flower
the second year after sowing. Copiousely self sown. Undemanding
as to habitat. Good for spring decoration and for the rock garden.
The following species are also of interest to gardeners:
C. angustifolia (Bieb.) DC.
Southern Caucasus and Iran, naturalized in northern Russia
and the Crimea.
Tuber small, 7-15 mm diam., flowers in loose racemes, yellow.
Z 5 (4).
C. ledebouriana Kar. et Kir.
Mountains of Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan and northeastern
Tuber 5-7 cm diam. Flowers pink or violet, very variable.
Z 5 (4). New.
C. paeoniifolia (Stephan) Pers.
Far East and Siberia (central and eastern regions).
Rhizomateous. Flowering stem 60 cm, flowers 1.5-3.5 cm long,
pink-violet in long dense racemes. Z 4. New.
C. pauciflora (Stephan) Pers.
Far East (northern regions), Siberia (Altay, Sayans) and
Tuber globose, small. Stem unbranched, up 20-30 cm. Flowers
in dense racemes, bright blue-violet. Flowering period 3-4 weeks.
Z 4. New.
C. popovii Nevski ex Popov
Tuber globose, very deep in soil. Stem solitary, 7-10 cm.
Leaves 3-ternate, grey-green. Flowers 2-6 in loose racemes,
pink- violet with very long spur deflexed at the apex. Requires
a sunny place. Z 5. New.
C. remota Fisch. ex Maxim.
East Siberia and the Far East (southern regions).
Related to C. ambigua Cham. et Shlecht. and to C.
bulbosa (L.) DC. It differs in its toothed bracts.
Inflorescence dense, flowers pink-violet. Z 4. New.
C. repens Mandl et Muehld.
Southern regions of the Far East.
Tuber globose. Stem slender, 8-10 cm. Flowers in dense
racemes, white or pink, light blue. Z 5 (4). New.