🌿 AQUILEGIA vulgaris 🌿

AQUILEGIA vulgaris
Spring, Shaw Island, WA.

Common name: Columbine

Type: Herbaceous Perennial

Growing region:  Zones 3 to 8
Days to sprout: 14-28.

Height: 1.5 to 3-ft.

Bloom time: April to May

Bloom Description: Blue or violet-blue.

Sun: full sun to part shade.

Water: medium

Maintenance: medium

Flower: showy

Attracts: Hummingbirds

Tolerates: Rabbits

Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil. Surface sow.

Remove flowering stems after bloom to encourage additional flowers. When foliage depreciates, plants may be cut to the ground. Aquilegia may be easily grown from seed, will naturalize in the garden over time; self-sowing easily. Seed collected from garden plants, may not come true because different varieties of columbine may cross-pollinate in the garden producing seed that is at variance with either or both parents. This seed is harvested from a plot of blues. They can also be easily grown in large pots.

Notes:

Genus name comes from the Latin word for eagle (aquila) in reference to the talon-like spurs on most flowers.

Columbine comes from the Latin word columba meaning dove-like. The number and varieties of Columbines are staggering.

These seeds should be 90% blue tones as I still rogue out a few pink and magenta in the same garden.

Uses:

Borders, rock gardens, cottage gardens, woodland gardens or naturalized areas. A good choice for a hummingbird garden. Continue to water plants after bloom to enjoy the ground cover effect of the foliage.
Long lasting for flower bouquets.

Research notes: Missouri Botanical Garden.

Aquilegia vulgaris
Common name is Columbine.
A dependable, easy perennial,
great for bouquets.
Seeds for sale at the Gatehouse,
Reefnet Bay Road, Shaw Island.