Aquilegia vulgaris
Aquilegia vulgaris
Aquilegia vulgaris
Common Columbine, Culverwort, Dove Plant, Granny's Bonnets, Lady's Shoes, Garden Columbine
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Description
Aquilegia vulgaris is the Latin name for the Common Columbine, a perennial as robust as it is charming and well-known. This plant blooms abundantly in late spring and early summer, on sturdy upright flower stems, adorned with recognizable spurred flowers. Most often blue-violet, they can sometimes be white or even pink, depending on the plants. Columbine thrives without any particular care, in any loose and not too dry soil. It readily self-seeds and naturalises in the garden.
Aquilegia vulgaris belongs to the buttercup family. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and temperate Asia, where it grows in clearings, meadows, and forest clearings in deciduous woods. It is a very hardy herbaceous perennial. The plant forms an upright foliage clump, 40 cm (16in) tall and 35 cm (14in) wide, from which rise long fuzzy flower stems up to 75-80 cm (30-32in) from the ground. Flowering occurs from May to July, depending on the climate. Charming downward-facing flowers, borne on peduncles, bloom on the flower stems. Each one is composed of petal-like sepals and cone-shaped petals with a backward-curving spur. Yellow stamens dominate the centre of the flower. The most common colour among garden columbines is a fairly deep but bright blue-lilac. This flowering is highly visited by butterflies and pollinating insects. The basal foliage of the garden columbine is deciduous to semi-evergreen, more or less disappearing in winter. It is composed of three fuzzy leaflets, a slightly glaucous green, and is decorative due to its light appearance.
Columbines were already cultivated in the flower beds of the Middle Ages, and the tradition was continued in the cottage gardens. Compact and discreet, they are essential in borders, where they bring lightness and fun. They can be planted in many places in the garden, taking care to leave a 20 cm (8in) space around each plant: in the middle of a perennial bed, near roses, in a border, at the base of bushes, on the edge of woodland, on a slope. They will be magnificent when planted in groups to create a dense clump. Don't hesitate to pick them just as they open for beautiful country-style bouquets. In flower beds, in a 'cottage garden' style, you can associate garden columbines with all kinds of perennials such as Foxgloves, Chinese Peonies, Bleeding Hearts, or Bellflowers.
Flowering
Foliage
Plant habit
Botanical data
Aquilegia
vulgaris
Ranunculaceae
Common Columbine, Culverwort, Dove Plant, Granny's Bonnets, Lady's Shoes, Garden Columbine
Western Europe
Planting and care
Sowing of Common Columbine can be done in March-April under shelter at 21°C (69.8°F) or in the garden in May-June. It will take about 21 days to see the young shoots appear. The young Columbines cultivated under glass will need to be gradually acclimatised to the outdoor temperature before being planted in flower beds. Those grown directly in flower beds can be transplanted at a good distance of 30 cm (12in) when the seedlings reach a size of +/- 10 cm (4in). Remove faded flowers if you do not want them self seeding.
Sowing period
Intended location
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
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In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.