Aquilegia canadensis ‘Little Lanterns’ (Canadian Columbine)

An exquisite dwarf columbine, Aquilegia canadensis ‘Little Lanterns’ (Canadian Columbine) is a slender herbaceous perennial with erect stems bearing nodding, spurred flowers with bright scarlet sepals, pale yellow petals, and bushy yellow stamens. They rise elegantly above the lovely fern-like foliage of bright green leaves, which remains handsome throughout summer, provided the soil is kept moist. Blooming in late spring to early summer, this cheerful perennial enjoys good disease resistance and brightens the shade garden. Great for small gardens or containers.

• Grows in a bushy, upright clump, up to 8-10 in. tall and wide (20-30 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 average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Seriously dislikes poorly drained soils! Rich, moist 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 beds and borders, city gardens, cottage gardens, underplanting shrubs and roses or containers.
• Good resistance to leaf miner.
• May be grown from seed sown directly in the garden in spring (after the danger of frost has passed). Division is possible in spring, but it may take some time for the plant to recover.
• 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
• Aquilegia canadensis species is native to woodland and rocky slopes in eastern North America.

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.