PlantFiles: European Columbine, European Crowfoot, Granny's Bonnet
Aquilegia vulgaris

These cheery late-spring flowers volunteer readily in my yard. I actually never planted any of them, my neighbor has a few clumps in their yard and the seeds always find their way over here. The parent plants were a deep purple-blue, but it's offspring has came out in every shade of pink, purple and blue you can imagine and in single, double and triple-form flowers. Some of the plants even came out with dark, nearly black flowers in contrast to some of the pure white ones. It seems no two plants are alike in this sense.

Does well in shade or sun, in wet locations and dry ones as well. A very carefree plant that is more than welcome in my garden and as a plus, attracts hummingbirds, too.

These are weedy volunteers in Seattle gardens, but very pretty in the spring. I pull up the ones that bloom in washed up colors or if I dont like the flower shape. The ones with graceful, blue flowers i keep. I cut them to the ground in the summer when the foliage starts to look ratty.

I have these growing throughout my gardens. They have self-seeded, and seem to stay, for the most part, true. I let them stay where they are until I need the space for something else.

Stratification and light aid germination of seeds.

Blooms in May in my garden.

I love the colors and bloom time of this plant. It's hardy in my zone 5 garden. Columbine makes a great underplanting or companion plant for roses.

Bought plant from garden center, but didn't bloom the first season. Plant receives morning sun, afternoon shade and does extremely well this year here in North Texas. The "Winky Blue-white" turned out to be a dark purple with white center, still pretty, but I was hoping for a bright blue.

This is growing VERY well under an evergreen and in deep shade against the south side of my home.

In SE Michigan - this common form of Columbine self sows pretty easily. I have even taken seed pods and spread them to other areas of my garden. They pop up in the best places. Always bring comments.

I have grown a variety of aquilegia hybrids, as well as 'Nora Barlow' (blue & white as opposed to the more common pink & white). I also have grown a very sturdy "open pollinated" variety courtesy of the local birds, that is a very rich purple spurless hybrid.

In my climate (Chicago northwest suburbs) usually ALL aquilegias' foliage get ratty looking after flowering. I let the plants set seed (on those I like), save the seed (before it scatters) for fall sowing, and cut back foliage, flowers & all. New rosettes (much shorter) grow back attractively! Another hint about this plant, keep different hybrids VERY FAR apart - these cross-breed easily and readily!

Grows in Heat Zones 9-3.

Columbines are available in many shapes and colors. Aquilegia vulgaris is the parent of many of the fancier hybrids available. They’re hardy from zones 3-9 and plants will grow 2 –4 feet tall. It’s an easy plant to grow from seed and it will brighten up any partly shady spot of the garden. It prefers a soil that’s rich in organic matter and has adequate moister. It will tolerate less ideal conditions but plants may be shorter lived and not as vigorous. It blooms in late spring or early summer and the foliage remains attractive through the season.