I lost all three I purchased last year in dry, light shade. I don't think it's a full sun plant but I'm hardly an expert.

Mine may have gone dormant and only looked dead.

NOPE, KILLED THEM ALL

I am south of you but here they need shade and moisture and good humus.

I'm north of you but roughly the same zone....mine is planted in an area where it gets maybe an hour of morning sun if that, and it is extremely happy....blooming like crazy for weeks!

I purchased a "blackberry wine variety last spring, and it did well for a few months. We had a really hot spell in July/early August--temperatures in the upper 90s or 100s, no rain"--and after that, they went into a decline. They appear completely dead now. I should add that I have a sprinkler system (essential in CO), so they are watered three times a week, and they are planted under a ginala maple (shade for most of the day, late afternoon angled sun).

Are they dead or dormant? The websites I consulted on corydalis said that this species is more heat and drought-tolerant than most, and less likely to go dormant. However, it was pretty scorching for a while, despite the partial shade and irrigation.

I just came in from my garden and was practically crying over what I thought was the loss of my Blue Panda. Then I came across this thread.

I received my Blue Panda as a gift from an out of town friend who purchased it at a nursury in their home town. It was a big plant too. I couldn't find Blue Panda at any nursury in town where I am. I was thrilled with the surprise gift.

I planted it on the north side of the house among my hosta. It was planted in moist rich soil. It got a little bit of afternoon sun from the west.

It was doing "OK", not great, but I realize it was the first year.

It seemed to get smaller and smaller and started looking a bit dry and ratty after a while dispite diligent waterings. It now looks completely dead. :(

I'm in Z5 WI and it has been HOT in the 90's here in August. Lawns are parched watering couldn't keep up.

In August, the afternoon setting sun from the west does hit my garden with the Blue Panda but by then my Joe Pye was big enough to shield it from intense rays.

It now looks completely dead and dry and brittle. I am truly saddened by this. I was really excited to get a decent shade plant (or so I thought) that flowers blue. It also meant a lot to me since it was a gift from a friend and I thought I would enjoy the plant and the memories of friendship it would provide.

I am going to cover with mulch the Blue Panda area in fall and hope that it will come back in spring. But I have the feeling it is a 'goner'.

I believe most of cordyalis go dormant in the summer hot weather like bleeding heart. I have had no luck with them coming back next spring. My gardens do get very hot and dry in the summer, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Found this info on your blue panda: Masses of brilliant, gentian blue flowers from spring into summer. Summer dormant in warmer areas. This clumping perennial has blue-green, lacy foliage. Lightly fragrant. Very nice mounding groundcover for shade to semi-shade. Up to a nine-month bloom period in the Northwest or anywhere with mild summers."

Afternoon sun maybe too hot for this one. I have a yellow variety that only receives a couple of hours of sun in the morning and it's doing great on its second year.

I don't blame you it is a beaut.

Karen_B

As with many of the blue coydalis (aside of elata) its important to relaise that "dormancy" is going to happen! I have both the golden and blue panda in the garden. Both were planted in dappled shade with rich soil.

I lost the blue panda first, bloomed twice and then slowly started to shrivel and disappear. Golden panda lasted longer but it too disappeared... but alas, three weeks ago I noticed more of the familiar delicate foliage peeking through the ground. It took a week to discern that it wasn't the elata spreading, but with the golden tinged foliage now up three inches, I am confident that it is golden panda. Not sure that it will re-bloom

If its the blue flowers that have you addicted, try corydalis elata.... much hardier foliage that stands upright and is suffused with brilliant cobalt blue blossoms through most of the summer. Even when the blooms are finished, the foliage continues to grow and expand. Year two is supposed to be the "big growth spurt year!"

I can't find anyone selling this plant. I know it's hard to grow, but love to take a shot at it. can anybody tell me where I can get one.

I have two common yellows, a white with green spots, and a purple one. They all grow in pots at the bottom of my front steps - they are shaded by the house & a brick wall all but maybe 2 hours a day - then they get dappled sun. They are all thriving. The purple one is the oldest, and is in the biggest pot. It is 3 feet across and about 18 inches high. It has been there for 4 years, and has never gone dormant, despite the fact that we have long warm dry (no rain for 8 months) summers. I water it about twice a week in the summer. It is blooming now - gorgeous.

I previously had a yellow one in that pot, and it lasted about 7 years before suddenly dying. It got as big as the purple one is now. It never went dormant.

I had the white one with green spots (in a pot) in a place that got much more sun. It burst into full bloom, but the leaves were turning yellow, and it looked sort of wilty. So, I just moved it to the bottom of my front stairs where the other ones are. I figure that is one place in my garden where corydalis are happy!

So, at least in this Mediterranean climate corydalis are happy in pots in real shade, and don't go dormant. Just wanted to pass that along in case any of you want to try it -

Jackie

Heronswood Nursery usually has them

Here is a link that might be useful: Heronswood NUrsery

I have killed at least a dozen of the blue Corydalis and I live where they are supposed to thrive. I've killed them in shade, morning sun, pots and beds where Dicentras and ferns thrive.

C.elata is the only one that has come back for me.