Brassicaceae FAMILY

Megacarpaea delavayi

Edibility

1/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitPerennial

Growth—

We have almost no information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeeds outdoors in most of this country. It is a very ornamental plant^[1] that is enormously variable in leaf, flower and fruit shape^[2]. The flowers are normally hermaphrodite but are sometimes monoecious or reduced^[3]. The plant is occasionally cultivated as a vegetable in China^[2]. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a light well-drained soil in a sunny position^[3].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame if this is possible. Otherwise sow it in early spring in a cold frame. Prick the seedlings out into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Root cuttings may succeed^[3]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Megacarpaea+delavayi>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

[1]Alpine Garden Society Bulletin. Volume 56. — ? · Alpine Garden Society · ISBN - ↩︎Excerpts from the periodical. Some details on Corydalis spp.
[2]Flora of China — Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. · 1994 · http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
[3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[4]Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World. — Tanaka. T. & Nakao S. · Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo · 1976 · ISBN - ↩︎The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎