(Fumewort)

Native from southern Scandinavia to Italy and Greece, this low herbaceous perennial has dainty leaves and modestly attractive pink or purple flowers in spring. The conical or cylindrical clusters of small, two-lipped, long-spurred flowers are borne atop one or two short stems that arise from a rounded underground tuber in early spring. Leafy flower bracts often partially hide the blooms. Ferny, deeply or shallowly lobed compound leaves clothe the lower reaches of the stems. The flowers give rise...

(Colic Weed, Pale Fumewort)

Native to rocky and sandy slopes and clearings over much of Canada and the northern United States, this biennial bears clusters of small bicolored flowers from early summer to fall above rosettes of lacy blue-green leaves. Deployed on erect, calf- to waist-high stems, the spurred, purplish-pink flowers have gaping yellow mouths. The blooms give rise to small pod-like capsules containing round shiny black seeds that are distributed by ants. Plants will self-sow where happy. Plants die at the end of...

(Fumewort)

More easily grown than many other Chinese Corydalis (including C. flexuosa), this hardy herbaceous perennial comes from relatively low altitudes in western Sichuan. Growing from a network of short clumping rhizomes, it forms dense clumps of ferny-leaved, calf-high stems topped by loose conical clusters of 5 to 13 pale bluish-purple to reddish-purple flowers with darker snouts. The two-lipped, long-tailed blooms appear from late spring into summer. In hot climates, plants...

(Berry Exciting Fumewort, Fumewort)

More easily grown than many other Chinese Corydalis (including C. flexuosa), C. shimienensis is a hardy herbaceous perennial from relatively low altitudes in western Sichuan. The cultivar 'Berry Exciting' is a showy-leaved sport of 'Blackberry Wine.' Growing from a network of short clumping rhizomes, its calf-high stems are furnished with elegant ferny foliage that is bright gold in spring and ages to lime-green in summer. From late spring to summer the...

(Blackberry Wine Fumewort, Fumewort)

More easily grown than many other Chinese Corydalis (including C. flexuosa), C. shimienensis is a hardy herbaceous perennial from relatively low altitudes in western Sichuan. The cultivar 'Blackberry Wine' features heat and sun tolerance and a spring to summer bounty of beautiful flowers. Growing from a network of short clumping rhizomes, it forms dense clumps of ferny-leaved, calf-high stems topped by loose conical clusters of 5 to 13 burgundy-purple...

(Solid-rooted Fumewort)

Eurasian in origin, this low herbaceous perennial has dainty leaves and showy pink, purple, red, or white flowers that light up the spring garden. The conical or cylindrical clusters of two-lipped, long-spurred flowers are borne atop one or two short stems that arise from a rounded underground tuber in early spring. Ferny, deeply cleft, compound leaves clothe the lower reaches of the stems. The flowers give rise to elongated capsules filled with small brown seeds that are distributed by ants. Plants...

(Fragrant Winterhazel, Smooth Winterhazel)

Brightening the early spring garden, smooth winterhazel produces hundreds of pendent, light yellow blossoms with exceptional fragrance from its bare brown branches. This wide-spreading, densely branched, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub is native to Korea and Japan.

The bare are branches bear a profusion of short, drooping, chain-like flower clusters (racemes) in early spring before the leaves appear. The smooth, rounded leaves that follow are satiny medium to dark green and slightly blue-green...

(Buttercup Winterhazel)

Brightening the early spring garden, buttercup winterhazel is a tidy deciduous shrub that produces hundreds of pendent, fragrant yellow blossoms on its bare brown branches. It has a pleasing rounded to lightly spreading habit making it well suited to more formal gardens and smaller garden spaces. It is slow-growing and originates from the slopes and forests of Taiwan and Japan.

The slender, zig-zagging branches bear a profusion of short, drooping clusters, comprised of around five yellow and...

(Fuzzy Chinese Winterhazel, Winterhazel)

The openly branched fuzzy Chinese winterhazel produces hundreds of pendent, lightly fragrant yellow blossoms on its bare branches in late winter and early spring. It is a large, rounded, spreading deciduous shrub native to the forests and mountains of China. Unlike many other Corylopsis, which are slow-growing, it grows fairly quickly.

A profusion of short, drooping, bright lemon yellow flower clusters are borne on its sandy brown, lightly fuzzy branches early in the growing season....

(Smooth Chinese Winterhazel, Winterhazel)

Illuminating the early to mid-spring garden, the openly branching winterhazel produces hundreds of pendent, lightly fragrant yellow blossoms from its smooth, bare branches. Variety calvescens is a large, rounded and wide-spreading deciduous shrub is native to China's mountains. Moderately vigorous when growing, it is typically a multistemmed plant.

Upon the sandy brown, smooth (not fuzzy) branches by mid-spring will be a profusion of short, drooping clusters with bright lemony yellow...