It was hot today (felt like 38C!) and I noticed the delicate Rock harlequin (Capnoides sempervirens) flowering. I must say, the colours are just perfect to describe such a fiery day!

Capnoides sempervirens

Capnoides sempervirens

It was sown successively from late winter to spring and older seedlings are the first to start flowering now; a few are still growing up. The key to success with this biennial Corydalis (and also some of the perennials) is to plant it in different spots of the garden and, fingers crossed it will reseed and take care of itself afterwards.

If someone noticed, I call it first Corydalis and then I wrote it as Capnoides. Corydalis spp. used to bear the same name. And then, as it happens, few names have changed. I always hesitate: should I write the older name or the ‘new’ one. Many people will always call them Corydalis (and so do I, privately ;)

To resolve the situation, I made a new category for the seeds shop – Corydalis & all, where they can live happily together…

6 replies
  1. mrsdaffodil
    mrsdaffodil says:

    Unusual, and quite fetching. It is a dilemma, new name or old. I sometimes find I’ve grown so attached to the old name that I really resist the change.

  2. diversifolius
    diversifolius says:

    If by tutorial you mean germination instructions, yes. However, it depends on the product how detailed the instructions are – there is a germination page on the website which provides details regarding the main types of sowings, i.e. for warm and cold germinators, links, videos…

  3. diversifolius
    diversifolius says:

    I guess it’s natural with species that have been around our gardens since a long time. It is good to know though when names are changing; some will still use the old ones, some the new ones and it can be confusing at times.

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