Corydalis incisa aka Incised Fumewort

Corydalis incisa also goes by the name incised fumewort. It belongs to Papaveraceae, the poppy family. Its native range spans central and eastern China. It also spans the parts of East Asia with a temperate climate. The plant grows in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan too. This small herb lives for one or two years. It reaches about 1 foot (0.3 metres) tall. Its short life cycle includes a time of summer dieback.

Seeds sprout in spring and form small leaf rosettes. These groups of leaves wither in summer. They then return as winter rosettes. Plants bloom the next spring in short, tight racemes, or flower clusters. Each flower has both male and female organs. Bees carry pollen to pollinate the flowers. With this growth cycle, plants may vanish from view in summer. Seedlings may grow just one leaf in their first year.

In Asia, it grows by streams and channels used to water crops. It also grows at forest edges and along roads. Other sites include waste ground and rock walls. Records from Japan place it in thickets and bamboo woods. These sites lie in lowlands and foothills. Some reports also place it in marshes. In the United States, it grows in moist woods. It also grows in forests on river floodplains. These sites help explain its taste for cool spots and moist soil.

In gardens, give it light shade and soil that drains well. Both sand and loam suit its needs. It grows in mildly acid or mildly alkaline soil. Neutral soil suits it too. Woodland beds and shaded edges meet its growing needs. PFAF lists USDA zones 6–10 for its known range. It can become invasive outside its native range. This risk limits its worth as a garden plant. Seedlings are prone to damping off, a disease of young plants. Fresh seed gives the best chance of success. Seed soon loses its ability to sprout in dry storage. Sow seed on the soil surface and keep it moist. It may take one to three months to sprout.

PFAF records cooked young spring growth as a food use. It lists leaves as edible but warns of possible harm. This does not show that the plant is safe to eat. Folk medicine in China and Japan has used it for several ailments. Reports name inflammation, headaches, skin problems, abscesses, and rectal prolapse. These records show past uses, not proven benefits or safe treatments. PFAF gives low ratings to both its food and medicinal value.