I originally purchased seed for this plant from Pinetree and have enjoyed it in my garden ever since then; it completely dies back in my zone 4b-5a garden, and then pops back up every spring, as well as self-sowing quite prolifically. A great plant for naturalizing with ferns, forget-me-nots, and other plants that enjoy partial shade.
This is a short-lived perennial for me. It does self-sow, but those plants do not come true. They instead revert to a common 'granny bonnet' type. I love the long-spurred look and buy one or two each season to pop in here and there. After bloom, I cut them back to about 6" and occasionally will get a rebloom in late summer.
The two pictures here are from actually 2 different columbines. The purplish/white is the "Colorado Blue" columbine. The blue/yellow is a different columbine. Mine grew to only about 16" tall and about 12" this year. Xeric plants. They're in more full sun than my other columbines.
I really like the flower on this columbine. Unfortunately, this is a flower that hangs its head, so its beauty is somewhat hidden.
Aquilegia vulgaris is a larval host plant for the Columbine Duskywing Skipper Butterfly.
Native in the Pacific NW, found in moist open to shady meadows, rocky slopes, clearings. I call this Rainy Pass columbine, which seems to be a good spot for them to grow. The milky sap of the roots can be macerated and put on wounds to help form a scar; other parts of the plant may be used for diarrhea, dizziness, and aching joints. The common name is derived from columbina, which means 'dove like' to describe the flowers.
Aquilegia vulgaris is a larval host plant for the Columbine Duskywing Skipper, a butterfly common in the northeastern and north central US and parts of Canada. Aquilegia vulgaris also provides nectar for hummingbirds.
A very pretty blue.
'Little Lanterns' is a great selection of wild Columbine which grows less than 1 foot tall. It has the same lovely green-blue glaucous leaves and deep red and yellow flowers. Give it sun or shade and very well-drained, lean soil. Due to its shorter stature, 'Little Lanterns' might be better suited for the area right next to the path or wall, or the middle of the rock garden. Collect the seeds and sow them where you want more or let it naturalize at will.
This is one of the showiest columbines I've grown. The spurred bicolor blooms are very striking, almost black & white. It's one of the tallest columbines I have also, so it really gets noticed.
