Python (Peter Rühr) / CC BY 3.0
Columbine
Aquilegia
Overview
Elegant native wildflowers with distinctive spurred petals that look like a gathering of doves — the name columbine derives from the Latin for dove. These woodland perennials come in a rainbow of color combinations and freely hybridize, creating delightful surprises in the garden. Wild red-and-yellow columbine is one of the earliest hummingbird flowers to bloom in spring.
Aquilegia, commonly known as columbines, is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae (buttercups). The genus includes between 70 and 400 taxa with natural ranges across the Northern Hemisphere. Known for their high physical variability and ease of hybridization, columbines are popular garden plants and have created many cultivated varieties.
Appearance
Aquilegia plants typically possess stiff stems and leaves that divide into multiple leaflets. Columbines often have colorful flowers with five sepals and five petals. The petals generally feature nectar spurs which differ in length between species. In North America, morphological variations in spurs evolved to suit different pollinators. Some species and varieties of columbines are naturally spurless.
The 1st-century AD Greek writer Dioscorides referred to columbine plants as Isopyrum, a name that is now applied to another genus, Isopyrum. In the 12th century, the abbess and polymath Hildegard of Bingen referred to the plants as agleya – from which the genus's name in German, Akelei, derives. The first use of aquilegia with regard to columbines was in the 13th century by Albertus Magnus.
Several scientific and common names for the genus Aquilegia derive from its appearance. The genus name Aquilegia may come from the Latin word for "eagle", aquila, in reference to the petals' resemblance to eagle talons. Another possible etymology for Aquilegia is a derivation from the Latin aquam legere ("to collect water"), aquilegium (a container of water), or aquilex ("dowser" or "water-finder") in reference to the profusion of nectar in the spurs. The most common English-language name, columbine, is founded in the dove-like appearance of the sepals and derives from the Latin word for dove, columba.
Growing Conditions
Habitat & Range
- Habitat
- Meadows & Open Areas
- Native Range
- Native to Alabama, Alberta, Arizona, Arkansas, California and 36 more US states; native to British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario... in Canada; also native to Afghanistan, Alaska, Alberta and 83 more regions
- Native Region
- Alaska, Canada, Continental US
- Cultivation Region
- Northern temperate regions
Botanical data via projectGAIA.
Companion Planting & Soil
Good Companions
Sowing & Propagation
Propagation Methods
Planting Calendar
When to sow, transplant, and harvest by growing zone.
| Zone | Action | Months | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold (1-2) | Direct Sow | Sep — Oct | Fall sow outdoors for cold stratification; or sow indoors after 3 weeks in fridge |
| Cold (1-2) | Bloom | May — Jul | Spring/early summer bloom; first major hummingbird flower of the season |
| Cool (3-4) | Direct Sow | Sep — Oct | Fall sow; seeds need cold period; native A. canadensis best for hummingbirds |
| Cool (3-4) | Bloom | May — Jun | Late spring bloom; nodding flowers attract hummingbirds and long-tongued bees |
| Moderate (5-7) | Transplant | Mar — Apr | Transplant nursery plants in spring; self-sows freely once established |
| Moderate (5-7) | Bloom | Apr — Jun | Spring bloom; let seed heads ripen for self-sowing; short-lived perennial |
| Warm (8-9) | Transplant | Feb — Mar | Plant in late winter; afternoon shade preferred |
| Warm (8-9) | Bloom | Mar — May | Early spring bloom; fades in heat |
| Hot (10+) | Transplant | Nov — Dec | Plant in fall; needs shade; short-lived in hot climates |
| Hot (10+) | Bloom | Feb — Apr | Late winter/spring bloom; annual or short-lived perennial |
Uses
Other Uses
- Early-spring hummingbird nectar source
- Self-seeding woodland garden perennial
- Beautiful cut flower in spring bouquets
Safety Notes
Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species, it belongs to a family that contains a number of mildly toxic species. It is therefore wise to exercise some caution. The flowers are probably perfectly safe to eat.
