Columbine flower is a common flower and variations of this flower can be found in many parts of the world, from North America to Europe.
There are more than 65 species of Columbine flowers and they can be found growing in the wild and in home gardens. Their colors vary from white, yellow, blue, and to pink. The size of the plant ranges from a few inches to several feet tall.
The beautiful Columbine flower belongs to the genus Aquilegia, one of the most common and prolific flowering plants in the Northern hemisphere.
The common name, Columbine, derives from Latin and means “dove”. You’ll see why if you view the flower from beneath – it looks very much like a flock of doves circled a birdbath.
Popular with Home Gardeners
The columbine flower is popular with home gardeners for their simple and delicate beauty. They are also found as wildflowers in a meadow, mountain, and woodland settings as well as in-home gardens, especially in Small Space.
The Columbine flower is favored by hummingbirds attracted to the nectar. Hummingbirds help to pollinate the field of Columbine flowers by carrying the pollen smudged on their heads from flower to flower.
Columbine flower blooms in Spring, Early Summer
These plants bloom in late spring and into early summer. They enjoy lightly shaded locations in areas where heat is intense, such as in the South, while at high altitudes and in more temperate areas, the Columbine flower grows in full sun.
All varieties grow taller in direct proportion to the warmth of their climate.
Native Americans used the seeds of the Columbine flower medicinally, preparing an infusion of the seeds to treat a headache and fever.
Require a well-drained soil
Essential to growing Columbine is well-drained soil. Heavy clay soils won’t do for this perennial, as waterlogged roots will cause them to die in winter. As long as the soil is well-drained, these plants are not fussy. Average potting soil will do just fine.
When planting, space taller varieties a foot apart and shorter varieties six inches apart.
Propagation is rather prolific
Although individual plants may not last for more than a few years, they propagate from seed in a very prolific manner.
Starting with just two species in your garden, you’ll soon have hybrids galore. The blue Columbine flower produces lots and lots of seeds.
The only problem with hybrids is that they do not produce plants exactly like the parent. There is a way around this.
A bed of blue Columbine Flowers
As the new hybrids grow columbine flower, just pull those you don’t like before they set seed. Keep the ones you do like. Within several generations, you’ll have a bed of your own attractive hybrid Columbine flowers.
In Europe, the common Columbine, Aquilegia vulgaris, is known as “Granny’s Bonnet”, growing 18 to 24 inches tall.
Grow your own Columbine flowers
A bed of Columbine flowers is a delight in the garden. A visit to your nursery will yield a variety of choices, sure to please.
Columbine flowers will grow well in the garden with best garden design, in the pots, and slightly shaded well-drained areas around the house.
A bouquet of columbine flowers is popular as a gift for a special occasion like Mothers’ Day or a Wedding Anniversary.
Hummingbirds and Columbine flowers
I always enjoy the moment when I can see the birds flying towards the Columbine flowers, attracted by the nectar.
I have several trees on my property with hummingbirds and if I want to know where the hummingbirds have gone, I just look towards the Columbine flowers.
Read More: Best 5 Popular Flower Compositions For Your Wedding Bouquet
Columbine Flower Caring
how to caring Columbine flower? Try not to let columbine flowers dry out something over the top. Water when the dirt is dry, and treat about once per month with fluid compost. Standard preparation will enable the plants to create their brilliantly hued blossoms and develop thick foliage.
Another alternative is to include a period discharge manure in granulated structure into the dirt at planting time. Deadhead the flowers as they wither all through the late spring and fall, if you aren’t intending to reseed more columbine flowers with the seedpods. This additionally will keep the flowers blossoming longer.
If your columbine flowers are enthusiastic enough to congest their holder or area by midsummer, you might need to prune them back a little for upkeep. Genuine pruning of built-up columbine flowers, in any case, ought to be done in the late winter, when it empowers new development. Try not to prune when the plant is as yet developing in the fall, as this will flag it to put on more development, which will probably be harmed by ices.
Partition columbine flowers each a few years to enable them to remain solid, by uncovering them, shaking off the dirt, and delicately dismantling the roots separated to yield another area of plants. Columbine flowers don’t keep going forever in one planting; you can anticipate that three should five years of good sprouts before beginning again with new columbine flower seeds
The beauty of the Columbine flowers will never cease to amaze me.
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