Columbine

Sun

Partial shade is ideal, especially where summers are hot. Full sun suits cooler climates if the soil does not dry out completely.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then during prolonged dry spells. Established plants tolerate moderately dry soil but dislike waterlogging.

Soil

Well-drained soil, from sandy or rocky ground to loam; tolerates limestone and a fairly wide pH range. Avoid heavy, persistently wet soil.

Height

1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Spring to early summer; nodding flowers have red sepals and spurs surrounding yellow petals.

Foliage

Soft green to blue-green leaves divided into rounded, lobed leaflets. Foliage may become ragged or die back during hot, dry summers.

Growth

Moderate; seed-grown plants usually flower in their second year.

Care needed

Low

• Water new plants whenever the upper soil begins to dry, without keeping the roots saturated.
• Apply a thin layer of compost in spring; avoid heavy feeding, which encourages floppy growth.
• Mulch lightly with leaf mould, keeping it clear of the crown and leaving some bare soil for seedlings.
• Leave a few seedheads to replace ageing plants, and remove unwanted seedlings while small.
• Avoid routine division; the root system resents disturbance, and seed is the easier way to renew plants.

Pruning. After flowering, remove spent flower stems unless you want seed. Cut badly damaged foliage back to healthy growth, and remove dead stems and leaves in late winter before new growth starts.

Late winter

Remove dead foliage and check that crowns are not sitting in wet soil.

Spring

Plant nursery-grown plants, water them in and top-dress lightly with compost.

Late spring

Check leaves for leaf miners and sawfly larvae; remove affected leaves or pick off larvae.

Early summer

Deadhead for a tidier appearance, leaving selected seedheads to ripen.

Summer

Collect seed as pods turn brown, and water established plants during prolonged drought.

Autumn

Sow seed outdoors in a protected pot or prepared seedbed so winter cold can help break dormancy.

• Plant loose groups along woodland edges with ferns and woodland phlox for spring colour above low foliage.
• Tuck plants into well-drained rock gardens or stone-wall crevices, where the flowers can hang freely.
• Weave through informal cottage borders, allowing a few seedlings to fill gaps without forming a dense mass.
• Use in eastern North American native gardens as a spring nectar source, followed by later-flowering perennials.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Cottage garden, Wildflower, Wildlife garden and Pollinator garden.

Plant it with: Woodland phlox, Wild geranium, Foamflower, Christmas fern, Golden Alexanders and Pennsylvania sedge.

Wildlife: The flowers attract hummingbirds in North America, especially ruby-throated hummingbirds within their range, as well as long-tongued bees. Some insects take nectar through holes at the base of the spurs. Deer often leave it alone, although browsing is still possible.

• Leaf miners leave pale winding trails or blotches in leaves. Remove badly affected leaves; established plants usually tolerate the damage without treatment.
• Columbine sawfly larvae can strip foliage quickly. Inspect leaf undersides and pick off larvae as soon as feeding appears.
• Powdery mildew can coat leaves in dry, crowded conditions. Improve spacing, water the soil rather than the foliage, and remove badly affected leaves.
• Winter-wet soil can rot crowns and roots. Improve drainage or move plants to a raised or sloping site.

Columbines are generally listed as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses, but species-specific poisoning information is limited. For people, seeds and roots are considered potentially poisonous, and ingestion may cause digestive upset; severe poisoning is not commonly reported. Do not eat any part.

• Common columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)

  Usually has blue, purple, pink or white flowers with distinctly hooked spurs; eastern red columbine has red-and-yellow flowers with relatively straight spurs.

Aquilegia is usually traced to the Latin aquila, meaning eagle, in reference to the talon-like flower spurs, while canadensis means 'of Canada'.

Propagation. Propagate by seed. Sow fresh seed outdoors after collection or in autumn; stored seed often benefits from several weeks of cold, moist conditions before germination. Plants can cross with other columbines nearby, so seedlings may not retain the species' appearance.

Accepted botanical name

Aquilegia canadensis

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky and Maine.

Measured

Average height 65 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.