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Aquilegia Songbird ‘Nightingale’ (Columbine)

Columbine Songbird 'Nightingale', Granny's Bonnet Songbird 'Nightingale', Aquilegia hybrida Songbird 'Nightingale', Aquilegia 'Nightingale', Aquilegia vulgaris 'Nightingale'

Aquilegia Songbird 'Nightingale',Columbine Songbird 'Nightingale', Granny's Bonnet Songbird 'Nightingale', Aquilegia Nightingale , Lavender Aquilegia, Bicolor Aquilegia, Aquilegia Songbird Series

Compact with large upward-facing flowers, Aquilegia Songbird ‘Nightingale’ is very eye-catching with its long-spurred, lavender and white bicolor flowers, up to 3 in. long (7 cm), rising with natural grace above a lovely fern-like, blue-green foliage. Blooming for 4-6 weeks in late spring to early summer, this perennial is generally short-lived but will self-seed without being annoying. ‘Nightingale’ is a cultivar of the Songbird Series, which is noted for its compact plants and large upward-facing flowers in shades of blue, red, or yellow, often with contrasting white petals.

Other Songbird Series cultivars include Aquilegia ‘Blue Bird‘, Aquilegia ‘Goldfinch’, Aquilegia ‘Cardinal’, Aquilegia ‘Dove’, and many others. They all are lovely additions to 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, rock gardens, cottage gardensshade gardens, or naturalized areas. Excellent 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). 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.

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 - 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 Ranunculaceae
Genus Aquilegia
Common names Columbine
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 - 50cm)
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, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles Prairie and Meadow, City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Aquilegia Songbird ‘Goldfinch’ (Columbine)
Aquilegia coerulea Kirigami Rose & Pink (Columbine)
Aquilegia coerulea Kirigami Yellow (Columbine)
Aquilegia coerulea Kirigami Light Blue & White (Columbine)
Aquilegia Songbird ‘Robin’ (Columbine)
Aquilegia canadensis ‘Little Lanterns’ (Canadian Columbine)

Recommended Companion Plants

Nectaroscordum siculum (Sicilian Honey Garlic)
Lunaria annua (Honesty)
Digitalis purpurea (Common Foxglove)
Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’ (Plume Thistle)
Lupinus ‘The Governor’ (Lupine)
Astrantia major ‘Roma’ (Great Masterwort)
Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’ (Catmint)
Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass)
Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ (Ornamental Onion)
Iris sibirica (Siberian Iris)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

Stunning Blue Flowers to Enhance Your Garden’s Beauty
30 Great Perennials for Shade
30 Best Spring Flowers to Spruce up Your Garden
20 Spring Wildflowers to Create a Dazzling Garden
Hummingbird
Aquilegia (Columbine)
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 - 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 Ranunculaceae
Genus Aquilegia
Common names Columbine
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 - 50cm)
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, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles Prairie and Meadow, City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden
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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