Family: Papaveraceae
Common Name: Fumitory

Originally from the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, this very large group of plants comprises both annuals and perennials, most with tuberous roots. The foliage is soft and fern-like and the spurred, tubular flowers may be yellow, blue, purple or shades of pink. The intense blue forms are highly prized amongst cool-climate gardeners. They look very pretty in rockeries or borders. Some species tend to self-seed when conditions are favorable.

Species

C. cava, fumewort, is a tuberous perennial, to 20 cm (8 in), with deep rose to purple flowers.

C. lutea is a perennial with yellow flowers over a long period. It grows to 45 cm (18 in).

C. nobilis, a tuberous perennial, to 60 cm (24 in), produces sprays of pale yellow flowers, with darker yellow tips, and spotted with purple.

C. ochroleuca, zone 5, is a perennial, to about 35 cm (14 in), with yellowish white flowers.

C. sempervirens, Roman wormwood, is an annual, growing to 50 cm (20 in), with pink to purple flowers, tipped in yellow. Cultivar 'Rosea' has red flowers.

Cultivation

These plants are easy to grow in any ordinary, well-drained garden soil in a sunny or partly shaded position. Propagate the annuals from seed sown directly into the garden in spring and the perennials by division of the clumps or tuber offsets in late winter to very early spring.

Climate

Many of the species listed below are suited to zone 6.