Aquilegia Songbird 'Cardinal' (Columbine)
Columbine Songbird 'Cardinal', Granny's Bonnet Songbird 'Cardinal', Aquilegia hybrida Songbird 'Cardinal'
Compact with large upward-facing flowers, Aquilegia Songbird 'Cardinal' is very eye-catching with its long-spurred, red and white bicolor flowers, up to 3 in. long (7 cm), rising with natural grace above a lovely fern-like, gray-green foliage. Blooming for 4-6 weeks in late spring to early summer, this perennial is generally short-lived but will self-seed prolifically. ‘Cardinal’ is a cultivar of the Songbird Series which are noted for their compact plants and large upward-facing flowers in shades of blue, red or yellow, often with contrasting white petals.
Other Songbird varieties include Aquilegia ‘Bunting’, Aquilegia 'Cardinal' and Aquilegia ‘Dove’. They all are lovely additions in the shade garden!
- Grows in a bushy, upright clump, up to 12-18 in. tall (30-45 cm) and 12-16 in. wide (30-40 cm).
- 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, borders, cottage gardens, shade gardens or naturalized areas. This compact Columbine may also be grown in containers and it makes good cut flowers!
- Susceptible to leaf miner.
- May be grown from seed sown directly in the garden in spring (after 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 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.
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Requirements
Hardiness | 3
– 9 |
---|---|
Heat Zones | 1
– 9 |
Climate Zones | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A2, A3 |
Plant Type | Perennials |
Plant Family | Aquilegia |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early) |
Height | 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm) |
Spread | 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm) |
Spacing | 12" – 18" (30cm – 45cm) |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Showy |
Tolerance | Deer, Rabbit |
Attracts | 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 |
Pictures are courtesy of Ball Horticultural Company
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.
Requirements
Hardiness | 3
– 9 |
---|---|
Heat Zones | 1
– 9 |
Climate Zones | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A2, A3 |
Plant Type | Perennials |
Plant Family | Aquilegia |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early) |
Height | 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm) |
Spread | 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm) |
Spacing | 12" – 18" (30cm – 45cm) |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Showy |
Tolerance | Deer, Rabbit |
Attracts | 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 |