# Incised Fumewort (*Corydalis incisa*)

Incised Fumewort is a lovely flower with delicate, fern-like leaves and pretty yellow blooms. It grows in shady spots and adds beauty to gardens and forests.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Forests

![Incised Fumewort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Corydalis_incisa_02.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Σ64, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corydalis_incisa_02.jpg)

## Appearance

The Incised Fumewort has delicate, deeply-cut green leaves, giving them a fern-like appearance. It produces clusters of small, tubular flowers that are typically bright pink to purple, often with darker tips, creating a striking contrast.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Ranunculales
- **Family:** Papaveraceae
- **Genus:** Corydalis

## Interesting facts

- After blooming, this plant can disappear completely by summer, waiting underground for next spring!
- Bumblebees are great at pollinating these flowers because their long tongues can reach the nectar!
- Its flower shape inspired its scientific name, Corydalis, meaning 'crested lark' in Greek!
- The name 'incised' refers to its leaves, which are so deeply cut they look like delicate lace!

## Special abilities

- **Toxic Shield:** Incised Fumewort produces special chemicals that make it taste bad or toxic to herbivores, protecting it from being eaten.
- **Early Riser Bloom:** The Incised Fumewort can bloom very early in spring, capturing sunlight before taller trees leaf out, giving it a head start.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-30 cm
- **Spread:** 10-25 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Moderate
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — attracts with nectar and pollen
- **Eaten by:** Spanish slug (*Arion vulgaris*) — slugs may munch on its leaves
- **Symbiotic with:** European red ant (*Myrmica rubra*) — ants disperse its seeds for food

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look at flowers but don't touch them without asking an adult.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Incised Fumewort?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Incised Fumewort?

10-30 cm

### How wide does Incised Fumewort spread?

10-25 cm

### How big are the flowers on Incised Fumewort?

1-2 cm

### When does Incised Fumewort bloom?

Spring to early summer

### Is Incised Fumewort edible?

No

### Is Incised Fumewort toxic?

Moderate

### What is Incised Fumewort's lifecycle?

Annual

## Where to spot

- [Chanticleer Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chanticleer-garden) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden
- [Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wolf-trap-national-park-for-the-performing-arts) — Virginia, US · National Park
- [Rock Creek Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rock-creek-park) — District of Columbia, US · National Park

[View all places to see Incised Fumewort](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/incised-fumewort)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Incised Fumewort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/incised-fumewort)