Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Columbine:
- Phonetic Spelling
- ah-kwih-LEE-jee-ah kan-ah-DEN-sis
- Description
-
Wild Columbine is a native herbaceous perennial that is found in woodland habitats in shade to part shade. It may grow 3 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide. The deeply lobed leaves are attractive and the red and yellow flowers mature in early spring and last about a month. They are showy and attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.
Wild Columbine prefers partial shade conditions but will tolerate more sun with adequate moisture. It tolerates a variety of soil types as long as they are well-drained. Keep moist during the growing season and don't over-fertilize as this will cause abundant foliage production and decrease life expectancy. They will freely self-seed in the garden and bloom the second year.
Use this plant in naturalized areas, shady garden borders, or native/pollinator gardens. Once the flowers are spent it makes an attractive ground cover.
This plant was selected as the 1987 NC Wildflower of the Year, a program managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with some financial support from the Garden Club of North Carolina.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: This species has very good resistance to leaf miner.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Part Shade Garden Davidson County Demo Garden Collector’s Garden Part Shade Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- ‘Corbett’
Dwarf with yellow flowers - ‘Little Lanterns’
10" tall with blue-green foliage and red and yellow blooms - ‘Nana’
Yellow flowers - ‘Pink Lanterns’
Pink and white flowers
- ‘Corbett’
- ‘Corbett’, ‘Little Lanterns’, ‘Nana’, ‘Pink Lanterns’
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- ‘Corbett’
Dwarf with yellow flowers - ‘Little Lanterns’
10" tall with blue-green foliage and red and yellow blooms - ‘Nana’
Yellow flowers - ‘Pink Lanterns’
Pink and white flowers
- ‘Corbett’
- ‘Corbett’, ‘Little Lanterns’, ‘Nana’, ‘Pink Lanterns’
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Aquilegia
- Species:
- canadensis
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North America
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: MB , NB , NS , ON , QC , SK
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Provides nectar to bumblebees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators. The seeds may be eaten by songbirds. Deer resistant.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herb
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3b, 3a, 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Follicle
- Fruit Description:
- 5 pod-shaped follicles with long beaks that split open along one side to release the shiny black seeds. Displays from April to August.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Description:
- 1-2 inch flowers appear singly or groups of 2-3, are drooping, spurred, and bell-like. Red and yellow flowers have 5 petals, 5 petal-like sepals, and strongly exerted stamens and styles. Its spurs point upward. Blooms from March to May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are ternately compound (divided into groups of 3 leaflets). Each leaflet is up to 3" long and 2" across. Leaflets are oval with rounded lobes, basal and alternate on the stem.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- stems are green to reddish-green and may or may not have hairs
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Naturalized Area
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Fairy Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
