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Golden Smoke Wikimedia Commons
Papaveraceae

Golden Smoke

Corydalis aurea

Transience and beauty.

Family
Papaveraceae
Genus
Corydalis
Native to
North America
Bloom season
Spring, Summer
Type
Annual or biennial
Height
10-40 cm
Sunlight
Full sun to partial shade
Soil
Well-drained, sandy, rocky
Water
Low to moderate
Hardiness
3-9
Lifespan
Annual to biennial

Did you know

  • The common name 'golden smoke' comes from the smoky, hazy appearance of the finely dissected blue-green foliage.
  • Each flower has an elaborate spur at the back that stores nectar for long-tongued pollinators.
  • It often appears in large numbers on recently burned or disturbed ground.
  • The plant is in the same family as poppies and shares the production of alkaloid compounds.
  • Its seeds have oily appendages called elaiosomes, which ants collect and transport to new locations.

Color meanings

0

Fleeting moments

1

Golden haze

2

Wildflower spirit

Uses

  • Rock gardens
  • Wildflower gardens
  • Naturalized areas