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Corydalis ambigua

Common name:		Family:	Papaveraceae
Author:	Cham.& Schltdl.	Botanical references:	58, 200
Synonyms:	Corydalis 'Ambigua' (sensu Liden.)
Known Hazards:	Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, there is a report that Corydalis species are potentially toxic in moderate doses[222].
Range:	E. Asia - Japan.
Habitat:	Woods and meadows from the lowland to the mountains of N. Japan[58].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Ezo-Engosaku [E], Hsuan Hu So [E], Yen Hu So [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	ambigua = doubtful
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Papaverales. Poppy family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China Japan

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.15m by 0.08m . It is hardy to zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf from March to June, and the seeds ripen from May to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.

Edible Uses

Root.

Root - cooked[46, 61, 105, 177].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Alterative Analgesic Antiperiodic Antispasmodic Astringent Contraceptive Deobstruent Diuretic Emmenagogue Sedative Tonic.

Alterative, antiperiodic, astringent, deobstruent, diuretic, emmenagogue, sedative, tonic[178].
The root is analgesic, antispasmodic and sedative[218]. The tuber has a history of over a thousand years use in mitigating pain[218].
This species was ranked 10th in a test of 250 potential antifertility drugs[218].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a moist, well-drained rather light soil, thriving in semi-shade[1]. Grows well in a woodland garden or peat bed[129].
This species is very closely related to and probably part of C. fumariifolia[175]. It is probably not really worthy of specific status and is best treated as a cultivar, C. 'Ambigua'[200].
Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[233].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, the seed rapidly loses viability if it is allowed to become dry[129]. Surface sow and keep moist, it usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15° c[164]. Germinates in spring according to another report[129]. Two months warm, then a cold stratification improves the germination of stored seed[134, 164]. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be allowed to grow undisturbed in the pot for their first year. Apply liquid feed at intervals during their growing season to ensure they are well fed. The seedlings only produce one leaf in their first year of growth[175] and are very prone to damping off[129]. Divide the seedlings into individual pots once they have become dormant and grow them on in a partially shaded area of a greenhouse for at least another year. Plant them out into their permanent positions when they are dormant.
Division in spring after flowering. Once the plants are dying down, dig up the clump and divide the tubers, planting them out straight into their permanent positions if required.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Papaveraceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[58] Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[129] ? Alpine Garden Society Bulletin. Volume 56. Alpine Garden Society
Excerpts from the periodical. Some details on Corydalis spp.

[134] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.

[164] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.

[175] Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Corydalis spp.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

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