A perennial of the Fumariaceae family, this species is native to the mountain forests of western China, mainly Sichuan and Yunnan, where it grows in moist and shaded undergrowth, on humus-rich soils, at an altitude of approximately 1,800 to 3,000 meters.
It forms small, flexible, and light clumps, 20 to 30 cm in height, with dissected foliage of a glaucous green with bluish reflections, sometimes marbled with bronze at the base of the leaflets. This delicate foliage, persisting part of the year depending on the climate, is in itself a discreet and refined ornament.
The flowers, of a pure blue to intense blue-violet, tubular and spurred, are gathered in light and arched clusters that rise above the foliage in spring. This blue hue, rare among Corydalis, is what earned the species particular attention when introduced into Western horticulture at the end of the 20th century.
In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from April to June. In cultivation, it generally blooms from March to May, sometimes with an autumn resurgence in regions with cool summers.
It requires cool, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, in shade or partial shade, sheltered from summer drought. It often goes dormant in mid-summer, which is a natural behavior and not a sign of decline.