Several native species are grown as garden plants, but this plant has been in cultivation for many years, resulting in dozens of popular hybrids and cultivars, with more developed each year. The plant readily crossbreeds, and gardeners who plant two different varieties sometimes are gifted with self-seeded volunteers that have an entirely new appearance. Take note: This plant is toxic to humans and pets. Most varieties of columbine plants will bloom for at least four weeks and are tougher plants than they appear. They tend to be short-lived perennials, but they will spread through self-seeding, remaining in your garden for years. When blooms are finished for the season, cut the plants down to the ground and allow surrounding plants to fill in the space. The columbines will reliably return the following year or replace themselves with self-seeded volunteers.
Light
For the best flowering and healthiest plants, a spot in partial shade is ideal. Columbine plants can handle full sun in cooler climates, but after they have flowered and are re-building their store of energy, they appreciate some shade in summer’s heat.
Soil
Any type of soil can be used to grow columbine plants, though it does better with sandier, loamier soils and not quite as well in heavy clay soils. Well-drained soil is important. Mulch the plant to help retain moisture and keep the roots cool.
Water
New plants will need to be kept moist until they become established. You’ll know they are established when they start putting out a lot of new growth. Even then, keep your columbine plants well-watered during dry spells.
Temperature and Humidity
Columbine is sensitive to high temperatures, and cooler weather will produce more flowers. Hot temperatures will cause the plant to go dormant in the summer.
Fertilizer
Fertilize the plant with a water-soluble formula monthly. This will encourage thick foliage and bright flowers.
Types of Columbine
Varieties of columbine include dwarf varieties that are just 6 inches tall, as well as large varieties, such as McKana’s Giants, that are more than 3 feet tall with large flowers. Keep in mind that Aquilegia varieties readily cross-pollinate. If you plant more than one variety, be prepared to see new colors and combinations. A small fraction of Columbine varieties include:
Aquilegia ‘Crimson Star’ features long-spurred, crimson red flowers, and blooms for four to six weeks in late spring to early summer.Aquilegia ‘McKana Hybrid’ grows long-spurred, bi-colored flowers that can be blue and white, red and yellow, or other color combinations; it blooms in the late spring to early summer.Aquilegia caerulea (Rocky Mountain columbine) features fern-like foliage that is grayish-green in color and blooms for four to six weeks in the late spring and early summer. The flowers have violet-blue sepals, white petals, and yellow stamens.Aquilegia Songbird ‘BlueBird’ blooms with long-spurred blue and white flowers that are up to 3 inches long; part of the Songbird Series of columbine that also includes “Cardinal” and “Dove.”
Pruning
Prune columbine plants back to their healthy base leaves just after blooming. It may promote a second set of stem growth within a few weeks so that you may enjoy another wave of blooms later in the season. Columbines can be cut back to about 1/2 of their height after flowering to keep the plant attractive and green for the remainder of the summer.
How to Propagate Columbine
Columbine is not easy to lift and divide, as it has deep roots. If you must divide, dig down as deeply as possible in a circle around the roots, pull it up without breaking the soil ball, and divide it quickly with a sharp spade. Retain as much of the soil around the roots as possible, and replant quickly. Propagating from collected seeds is easier. After the flower petals have dried up, harvest the ripened seed pods left inside, and break them open to collect the shiny black seeds. Store them in the refrigerator over winter, then plant them in the garden the following spring. However, if the parent plant is a hybrid, the seeds may not produce plants true to the parent.
How to Grow Columbine From Seeds
It’s not hard to grow columbine flowers from seeds, but be aware that they usually do not blossom until year two. Additionally, the seeds need a three- to four-week cold spell before germination will occur, which you can ensure by keeping the seed packets in the refrigerator before sowing. Plant the columbine seeds in moist soil in a warm, sunny indoor location. It will take the seeds about 30 days to germinate. The seedlings need 16 hours of light, so a grow light is recommended. Once the seedlings develop a pair of true leaves and have reached 3 to 4 inches tall, pot them up into larger containers. Harden off the plants for two weeks before transplanting them in the garden.
Overwintering
Remove any wilted foliage and cut the plant back to ground level. Use a light layer of mulch to protect the plants through the winter.
Common Pests and Plant Diseases
Columbine plants are susceptible to leaf miner, a pest that can disfigure the leaves, but which rarely kills plants. Chemical pesticides can prevent leaf miners but are discouraged because the pests do not kill the plant. Aphids are a lesser problem, treatable with insecticidal soaps and oils.
How to Get Columbine to Bloom
Remember that many varieties of columbine won’t give blooms at all until their second season. They need the first season to grow a healthy root system and have no energy to spare for the lovely flowers. If columbine is planted too deeply, it will not bloom, as it needs a shallow planting. Make sure the layer of mulch used for overwintering is removed early in the season, as this can stifle blooms as well. Finally, keep in mind that soil heavy in nitrogen produces lovely green foliage but inhibits the growth of blooms.
title: “How To Grow And Care For Columbine” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-23” author: “Julie Murphy”
Columbines are short-lived perennial plants, but if you let the flower heads go to seed rather than deadheading them, they will readily self-sow and might soon form a colony of plants when growing conditions are optimal. They have a moderate growth rate, and seeds germinate in about 20 to 30 days. Columbine plants are toxic to humans. These plants do not tolerate hot, full sun well; they decline in the summer. They prefer medium moisture, well-drained soil. However, once established, columbine plants are drought-tolerant perennials. These plants are perfect for rock gardens and woodland gardens. Their attractive foliage makes them suitable as edging plants, and they are also frequently used in cottage gardens.
Light
Partial shade is the standard recommendation for growing columbine, but this plant tolerates full sun in cooler climates and during cool spring days.
Soil
Grow columbine plants in well-drained humusy soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. Mix some compost into the soil before planting to provide them with rich organic material. They prefer sandy or loamy soil over clay because good drainage is key.
Water
Columbine requires moderate soil moisture, so apply water when the top inch or two of soil dries out. As young plants are becoming established, keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy. Established plants only need watering about once a week. Mulch the plants to conserve water in the summer.
Temperature and Humidity
Columbines are perennial in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8, but choose a variety that’s well-suited for your specific climate. The plants flower best in cooler temperatures. They don’t tolerate excessive heat.
Fertilizer
Use a liquid, water-soluble fertilizer once a month during the growing season (spring to fall) to promote healthy foliage and better blooming. This plant requires phosphorus for healthy root development. Fertilizer too high in nitrogen can affect flower production; try using 5-10-5 NPK fertilizer, which is boosted in phosphorus.
Types of Columbine
Aquilegia flabellata ‘Nana’: A dwarf cultivar with light blue and white bi-colored flowers; six to nine inches tallAquilegia ‘Crimson Star’: Crimson red and white bi-colored flowers with long spurs; 24 to 30 inches tall.Aquilegia ‘McKana Hybrid’: Bi-colored flowers with long spurs in shades of blue and white, red and yellow, and combinations of pink and purple; plants are tall, up to 30 inchesAquilegia caerulea: Rocky Mountain columbine has grayish-green, fern-like foliage; very large white flowers with violet-blue sepals and yellow stamens; grows up to 24 inches tallAquilegia vulgaris ‘Clementine Salmon-Rose’: A long-blooming variety with salmon-colored, upward-facing blooms that resemble the blossoms of a double-flowered clematis; 14 to 16 inches tall
Pruning
Prune columbine plants back to their healthy base leaves just after blooming. Doing so might promote a second set of stem growth within a few weeks enabling you to enjoy another wave of blooms later in the season. Columbines can be cut back to about one-half of their height after flowering to keep the plant attractive and green for the remainder of the summer.
Propagating Columbine
Columbine is best propagated by sowing seeds or by division. Columbine seeds can be directly sown in the garden in early spring or summer. Columbine can be divided in the spring, once every two or three years. A divided plant remains vibrant and vigorous for many years. Columbine has deep roots, so if you must divide it, dig down deeply. Here’s how to propagate by division:
How to Grow Columbine From Seed
Propagating from collected seeds is the easiest way to grow columbine. After the flowers have faded and dried up, harvest the ripened seed pods left inside and break them open to collect the shiny black seeds. Store them in the refrigerator over winter. They need three to four weeks of cold before germinating, which ensures they will be ready to sow when the time comes. Plant them in the garden the following spring. Or you can let your columbines reseed naturally by not deadheading spent blooms If you start the seeds indoors, plant them in moist soil by laying one to two columbine seeds on top of the soil mix and cover lightly with additional soil. Set them in a sunny location. The seedlings will emerge in three to four weeks. When the plants reach three to four inches in height, harden them off gradually, then plant them outdoors about ten inches apart.
Potting and Repotting Columbine
Plant each seedling in a medium-sized (ten inch) container. Container material can be plastic, clay, wood, or stone, but ensure the container has drainage holes at the bottom. Fill each container with good quality, well-draining potting soil.
Overwintering
Columbines can withstand cold temperatures. At the end of their growing season, remove any wilted columbine foliage and cut columbine stalks to the ground. Flower stalks will regrow next spring, along with any new plants that successfully self-seeded. For extra protection from winter temperatures, scatter a light layer of mulch or decaying leaves around the plant crown.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Columbine foliage often bears the “doodling” of leaf miners, but the damage usually is not serious and gives the foliage a sort of randomly “variegated” look that can be appealing to some gardeners. Keep an eye out for the first signs of doodling, inspect the leaves for the larvae, and crush them with your fingers. You can also handpick leaves at the first sign of mining activity. Other common pests include columbine sawflies and columbine aphids. Aphids can cause stunted growth while sawflies cause defoliation. To control aphids and sawflies, you can spray with ultra-fine horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Fungal diseases like gray mold and powdery mildew can affect columbine. Remove faded flowers to control gray mold from developing. If symptoms like a fuzzy gray mold or white mildew starts forming, apply a fungicide to control it.
How to Get Columbine to Bloom
Columbine plants bloom in mid-spring to early summer. Most columbine varieties have little to no scent, but Rocky Mountain columbine (Aquilegia caerulea) has a distinctive sweet smell. You can extend columbine’s bloom period by pinching spent flowers back to just above a bud. If you do not deadhead spent blooms, the resulting seed production takes energy away from the plants. Columbine sown in spring will not bloom the first year; however, plants started in fall will bloom the following spring.
Common Problems With Columbine
Columbine plants can be grown in a range of climates and are easy to grow in a home garden. Like any garden plant, they are susceptible to a few problems, such as insect activity and fungal infections.
Yellowing Leaves
In areas with hot or dry summers, columbine leaves can turn yellow. If you keep the soil evenly moist, the plant might sustain itself. But if heat turns the leaves yellow or the plant dies down, cut the plant to its basal leaves. The plant is not dead. It might not come back until the next spring, but sometimes it can re-emerge in the early fall.
Leaves Turning White
Powdery mildew creates white powdery patches on the leaves. It can take over an entire plant, mainly during periods of high humidity when temperatures are warm and nights cool down. The fungus spreads through splashing water and travel by wind to infect other plants. Once established, powdery mildew is difficult to control. Treat an infected plant with a fungicide as soon as you notice symptoms; be sure to read instructions on the product label for proper application methods.
Leaves Disappearing
One day you can have a full columbine plant, and the next, the leaves are gone. This defoliation is a sign of a slug infestation. Slugs come out at night. Put out bait such as a pan of beer or an upside-down melon rind. The slugs will be attracted to both. They’ll drown in the beer, and you can dispose of the slug-infested melon rind. You can also spread diatomaceous earth around the base of the plant. The slugs will not cross that barrier.
