PlantFiles: Hybrid Columbine
Aquilegia 'McKana's Giant'

i start from seed and plant out in part-shade lcations zone3a.
the first year i started so many i tucked the little plants in any bare spot i saw.
the following year i was surprised by all these lovely blooms
on long stems dancing in the wind over the foliage.
due to their short-life span and ease of starting..i always have a few to pop in 'here and there'
perfect pastel colors fit in with any color scheme.
a must-have in my plantings.

I grew this from seed three years ago and it is a lovely columbine, which blooms well into July if I deadhead it. It has become about 24" wide and the flower stalks reached about 24" (after the deer ate them to the ground this spring). Once it starts to bloom the deer seem to leave it alone. I moved it last fall and it came back well in its new location - never missed a beat.

Even though it's said to be poisonous, the deer ate it this September! Or there is a sick deer somewhere. Not too bad though because it had finished blooming and I collected the seeds already.

So many pretty varieties of this lovely spring flower. I add a new one every year here and there, sometimes replacing ones that are less energetic. I also get lots of volunteers, usually not true to form, but I let them bloom before pulling them out.

This is one of my favorite Columbines. There are so many color combinations and large blooms. Each one I see is my favorite until I see the next!

Stratification and light aid germination of seeds.

Blooms mid May to late June in my garden.

McKana's have been reliable performers in my gardens. I have three plants that are well-over 8 years old, and they bloom profusely from June through August. They reach 48" tall, and usually require some staking as they fill with blooms.

This plant has been a true performer in my gardens for 5 years through drought and drown. Doesn't seem to matter to it.

I have been growing this plant for 2 years and find it very successful in its second year. It has been flowering for over two months (I have been dead-heading it), and is a combination of crisp white outer petals, and cream-coloured inner petals.

I too love this plant and was happy to see that someone else found better blooming with deadheading. Everyone told me it wasn't needed, so I didn't do it this Spring--guess what, no more blooms! Last year they went from Late March thru June with religious deadheading.

Vi
South of Atlanta

Charming plants with light, airy foliage and profuse flowers. Will flower all summer if dead-headed. Self-seeds fairly easily. Can grow to 4 ft with a spread of 3 ft.

Frequently bi-coloured eg lavender and cream, pink and white, yellow and cream, etc. Plants in my garden are currently seven years old. Shorter varieties can be short-lived.

Hybrid columbines may be short-lived even under the best garden conditions. They generally live 2-4 yrs. Plants self-sow prolifically and new plants are always developing (but seedlings may not be true to parent.) Plant in humusy and well-drained soil.

Sow seed outdoors in spring or summer, or sow indoors in winter after dry storing them in a refrigerator for 4-6
weeks. Plants develop quickly.

Leafminers create pale tunnels and blotches in the leaves. Remove and destroy damaged foliage. In severe cases spray weekly with insecticidal soap. Borers also attack columbines, causing the plant to collapse dramatically. Remove and destroy all portions of affected plants.