A corydalis of some sort?

[Paddy Tobin]

From Mount Usher Gardens, Co. Wicklow, on Monday last, what looks like a large corydalis, bronze tinted foliage, light blue flowers which were very scarce at the time.

Any ideas on identification?

Paddy

[Oron Peri]

Paddy
I think it is Corydalis quantmeyeriana 'Chocolate Star'

[Maggi Young]

I think Oron is correct......(he usually is!)

Sadly I found that there is only a brief mention in this forum....
http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1469.msg37034;topicseen#msg37034

We've lost the link to the old forum... unless this brings something up in "wayback" or one of those sites....
http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/4/35733.html    Hmmmm.... no luck.


Riz Reyes has some info here : http://www.rizreyes.com/Corydalis_temulifolia_Chocolate_Stars.html
which includes Magnus Liden's opinion as to naming ...Corydalis temulifolia 'Chocolate Stars'

[Paddy Tobin]

Many thanks, Oron and Maggi, that certainly seems to be the one. It looks like a good one for the garden. Many thanks, Paddy

[Carlo]

...and by the looks of it, it'd be welcome even without the flowers.

[ChrisB]

Its on my shopping list Carlo....

[ChrisB]

Just took a look to see who sells this and found the following on a Pacific NW site:

http://www.rizreyes.com/Corydalis_temulifolia_Chocolate_Stars.html

Corydalis temulifolia 'Chocolate Stars' 
Fumariaceae

ORIGIN: China         

USDA PLANT HARDINESS ZONE: 5-8   

SOIL: Rich-Moist/Well Drained

EXPOSURE: Filtered Light/Shade

FOLIAGE: Deciduous. Emerges in late winter with light
brown with speckled white edges.

FLOWER: Pale lavendar blue. March-April
COMMENTS:
Offered in the trade as Corydalis quantmeyerana, but
verified by Corydalis expert Magnus Liden as the same
species I encountered in Qing Cheng Hou Shan in Sichuan,
China. (See Qing Cheng Hou Shan Part 1). I purchased a
single plant to trial and evaluate and after a summer in my
garden last year, it came up early this spring with it's deep
bronze foliage delicately spotted to give a sparkling effect
that gives it its name. Then comes the profusion of pale
lavender blue flowers in April! This is by far THE
LARGEST of the Chinese Corydalis ever introduced
growing to 2 feet in height and about 3 feet in width! Has not
formed seed so far, which is a very good sign.

[mark smyth]

It was on display and for sale at Loughborough

[TheOnionMan]

Corydalis quantmeyeriana 'Chocolate Stars' on NARGS
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=1009.msg14599#msg14599

Available at Fraser's Thimble Farms nursery:
http://www.thimblefarms.com/corydalis.html

Older SRGC topic from June 2007 by Riz Reyes "Confirmed Corydalis temulifolia"
http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=559.0

So, is there consensus that the one named 'Chocolate Stars' is Corydalis temulifolia and not C. quantmeyeriana?  A unique and attractive Corydalis to be sure; gorgeous foliage.

[Paddy Tobin]

Many thanks for the additional comments and information. It certainly strikes me as an excellent garden plant.

Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

If your picture is true Paddy, I'd just about forget the flowers and be stunned by the foliage!