Yellow Corydalis (Corydalis flavula) is in the Poppy Family family (Papaveraceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,099 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Nationally it blooms mainly from March to April, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Yellow Corydalis: observations by month (U.S.)
About Yellow Corydalis
Corydalis flavula (yellow fumewort, yellow harlequin, fume-root, yellow fumitory; syn. Capnoides flavulum (Raf.) Kuntze, Fumaria flavula Raf.) is an herbaceous perennial plant native to the eastern United States. Its natural habitat is open woods and slopes.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Yellow Corydalis by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 275 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Pennsylvania | 210 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Virginia | 174 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Maryland | 111 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Ohio | 52 | April | Mar–Apr |
| West Virginia | 39 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Tennessee | 38 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Arkansas | 35 | March | Mar–Mar |
| North Carolina | 32 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Illinois | 29 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Indiana | 29 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Missouri | 23 | April | Mar–Apr |
| South Carolina | 14 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Georgia | 9 | March | Mar–Mar |
| New York | 7 | April | Apr–Apr |
| District of Columbia | 6 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Mississippi | 5 | March | Mar–Mar |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Poppy Family)
Bloodroot
Dutchman's breeches
California poppy
Squirrel Corn
Pacific Bleeding Heart
Greater celandine
Celandine Poppy
Creamcups
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Yellow Corydalis?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to April.
Where is Yellow Corydalis most often seen?
The most observations come from Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia.