A bright and beautiful addition to your garden in the warmer months.
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Key Takeaways
Most columbine plants (Aquilegiaspp.)
are cool-season,spring-blooming plantswith unique flowers and a moderate growth rate.
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However, some varieties face outward or upwards, do not have spurs, or have double flowers.
This plant self-seeds and crosses with other columbine plants and should be planted in early spring or fall.
Although a short-lived perennial, the self-sowing makes it appear that the plants last for years in the garden.
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Columbine flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and hawk moths.
The plants live only a few years, but they are self-seeding and continuallyreplenish the gardenwith new blooms.
Columbines like cooler temperatures, but their foliage sticks around through the heat of the summer.
The plants grow in USDA Zones 3-9, so choose the best variety for your zone.
Well-drained soil mixed with compost will give them the organic material they like.
Water
Columbines need regular water to keep the soil moist.
Fertilizer
No fertilizer is needed.
Types Of Columbine Flowers
There are many species in this country and many hybrids/cultivars.
Propagating Columbine Flowers
Columbine plants can be propagated by division, which is done in the spring.
It is recommended that plants be divided every few years.
The seed heads are prominent, high above the foliage as inch-long, five-lobed cases.
Commercial seed packets are available, and the seeds also need cold stratification.
Depending on the container size, the plants may be cold hardy enough to come back the next year.
Choose a pot with drainage holes and fill it with all-purpose potting soil.
Plant a seedling in the pot and add a layer of mulch to the top.
Overwintering
These plants die down in the fall and become dormant in the winter.
Remove any wilted or dead foliage and cut the plants down to the ground.
They will regrow in the spring.
Protect the plant from cold winter temperatures with alayer of mulcharound the crown.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
The most common pest is the leaf miner.
This tunneling results in silver or white doodle marks on the leaves.
This will not kill the plant but it makes the foliage unsightly.
Remove and trash the leaves that are affected.
There are no insecticidal sprays for this.
Another common pest is the columbine sawfly, which appears as a green caterpillar that can defoliate the plants.
Either pick off the caterpillars by hand or use an insecticidal soap.
Columbine aphids are very tiny insects that can stunt the foliage.
These can be hosed off with a strong water spray.
For these, remove any part as soon as it appears and/or spray with a fungicide.
Atop tall spikes, small blossoms face downward with long spurs in the back.
Some varieties are fragrant, but most do not smell.
Sometimes when the plants are started from seed, they will not bloom the first year.
Be patient and wait a year.
Columbines planted in spring usually bloom the following year.
Remove mulch early in the spring, and pinch spent flowers to encourage more buds.
It is common for them to yellow after blooming.
If the plant hasn’t bloomed yet, keep the soil consistently moist to see if it corrects.
If not, cut the plant down to the crown.
It will regrow in spring or possibly when temperatures cool in the fall.
Overcrowding
This means there are too many plants.
Frequently Asked Questions
After blooming, cut the plant back to the crown to discourage pests.
This may also initiate new bloom production for a second display of flowers during the season.
Hummingbirds are attracted to brightly colored columbine flowers.
Hawk moths generally pollinate yellow and white varieties.
Choose plants that require similar sunlight conditions.
Aquilegia Express: The Birds And Bees…Hawk Moths Too!.
