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Aquilegia coerulea (Rocky Mountain Columbine)

Rocky Mountain Columbine, Colorado Blue Columbine, Colorado Columbine, Blue Columbine, Aquilegia coerulea

AGM Award
Aquilegia Caerulea , Rocky Mountain Columbine, Colorado Blue Columbine, Blue Aquilegia, Bicolor Aquilegia

Native from Montana to Arizona and New Mexico, award-winning Aquilegia coerulea, commonly known as Rocky Mountain Columbine, features huge, 2-3 in. wide (5-7 cm), long-spurred, two-tone flowers with star-like, creamy white petals and violet-blue sepals and spurs. Bushy yellow stamens add a third color. Irresistible! The blossoms are upward facing for a perfect display and rise elegantly above a lovely fern-like, gray-green foliage. Blooming for 4-6 weeks in late spring to early summer, this perennial is Colorado’s State Flower and a lovely addition to the shade garden!

  • Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society for its outstanding qualities
  • Free-flowering, this Columbine grows in a bushy, upright clump, up to 24 in. tall (60 cm) and 12 in. wide (30 cm). This perennial is generally short-lived but will self-seed prolifically to form large colonies in satisfactory growing conditions.
  • Performs best in full sun to part shade, in averagemedium moisturewell-drained soils. Seriously dislikes poorly drained soils! Richmoist soils in part shade are preferred. Do not let the soil dry out.
  • Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies but is ignored by rabbits and deer!
  • Easy to grow, this plant is a welcomed addition to bedsbordersrock gardenscottage gardensshade gardens, or naturalized areas. This Columbine may also be grown in containers or window boxes, and it makes good cut flowers lasting up to 2 weeks in a vase!
  • Susceptible to leaf miner.
  • May be grown from seed sown directly in the garden in spring (after the danger of frost has passed).
  • Remove faded flowering stems to promote additional bloom. Cut to the ground when the foliage declines (around midsummer).
  • Contact with the sap may irritate the skin
  • Native from Montana to Arizona and New Mexico
  • Discover 50 Colorado wildflowers for every season

Aquilegia is a genus of clump-forming, short-lived perennials noted for their late spring to midsummer blooms of single or double, short-spurred or spurless flowers in a variety of colors ranging from blue to violet to white to pink to red. A classic element of herbaceous borders, Columbines mix beautifully with peonies, irises, alliums, and roses.

Columbine: How to Grow and Care with Success


Want to learn how to grow and care for columbine like a pro? Follow these simple steps and enjoy the beauty of these striking plants

Requirements

Hardiness 3 - 9
Heat Zones 1 - 7
Climate Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A1, A2, A3
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Ranunculaceae
Genus Aquilegia
Common names Blue Columbine, Colorado Columbine, Columbine
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late), Summer (Early),
Height 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread 9" - 1' (23cm - 30cm)
Spacing 9" - 12" (23cm - 30cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Native Plants Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Midwest, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, South Dakota, Southwest, United States, Utah, Wyoming
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Aquilegia Songbird ‘Nightingale’ (Columbine)
Aquilegia coerulea Kirigami Rose & Pink (Columbine)
Aquilegia coerulea Kirigami Yellow (Columbine)
Aquilegia coerulea Kirigami Light Blue & White (Columbine)
Aquilegia Songbird ‘Goldfinch’ (Columbine)
Aquilegia Songbird ‘Robin’ (Columbine)

Recommended Companion Plants

Primula veris (Common Cowslip)
Digitalis purpurea (Common Foxglove)
Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle)
Allium cristophii (Star of Persia)
Iris sibirica (Siberian Iris)
Papaver orientale (Oriental Poppy)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

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Hummingbird
Aquilegia (Columbine)
50 Native Wildflowers for North Carolina
Great Bulbs and Perennials as Companion Plants for Azaleas and Rhododendrons
Columbine: How to Grow and Care with Success
Best Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 3 - 9
Heat Zones 1 - 7
Climate Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A1, A2, A3
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Ranunculaceae
Genus Aquilegia
Common names Blue Columbine, Colorado Columbine, Columbine
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late), Summer (Early),
Height 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread 9" - 1' (23cm - 30cm)
Spacing 9" - 12" (23cm - 30cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Native Plants Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Midwest, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, South Dakota, Southwest, United States, Utah, Wyoming
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Aquilegia (Columbine)
Not sure which Aquilegia (Columbine) to pick?
Compare Now

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