Columbine Appreciation

I have a confession to make. I am a columbine seed head thief. You might see me in late July furtively cutting the seed heads off your columbines before scurrying back home.

A Love Story

I fell in love with columbine in the winter of 2020. In fact, I think that’s the year my gardening obsession really kicked into high gear. Me and everyone else, I guess. I remember eating stew after going for a long drive with the family, just to get out of the house on a cold, impossibly damp and dreary day. I was reading a Martha Stewart magazine, and there was the columbine. Blue and so striking with its spiky ring of outer petals. I had never seen one before, or at least had never noticed it. This sent me down the rabbit hole of Google, hunting down seeds. Because honestly, what else did I have to do?

Starting From Seed

I finally tracked down the seeds. But when they arrived, I was disappointed to find that it wasn’t going to be as simple as planting them, then enjoying the flowers a few weeks later. I had to plant them in June, in the hopes that they would flower the following year. So I scattered the seeds as instructed and pretty much forgot about them.

Wouldn’t you know, a few months later, I noticed that something was growing where I had spread them. Success!!

I still had to wait until the next year to enjoy the blooms, but they have been some of the stars of my garden ever since.

Why I Love Columbine:

• They flower quite early
• They last a long time, bridging the late spring and early summer when the rest of my garden is gearing up
• The reseed prolifically!
• They appear to divide well

Columbine Facts

Also known as Granny’s Bonnet, columbine is a member of the buttercup family. Its Latin name is Aquilegia spp. I must confess that I have not planted the native species of columbine in my garden. The Canadian Columbine or Eastern Red Columbine is native to Eastern North America. It has a droopy bell red and yellow bell-shaped bloom and grows in woodland and rocky slopes.

Columbine is considered a short-lived perennial, but it self-sows so well that I believe you don’t need to worry much about it.

My Columbine Collection

I have a few different types of columbine around my property, all of which appear to be the European columbine. The original ones put on a lovely and long-lasting show from late spring to early summer. My absolute favourite are the white. They are so delicate and unusual.

I also planted some seedlings in the shade, with very little success. One plant put out a few purple blooms, but the other two have not done anything. I was quite hopeful this year that they were looking strong, but the boys have stomped them almost into oblivion. I’ve got some protection there now, so I haven’t fully given up.

I planted a wildflower seed mix years ago out front and the only plant that survived was this unusual columbine. I had no idea I was even planting it! It was in a very awkward spot, so I’ve moved it recently and it seems to be doing ok.

Columbine Care

My observation about columbine is that it seems to be quite hardy. I’ve never done much to care for them. I divided them last year and the transplants have grown well and the mother plants seem just as happy.

Unfortunately, this year I have some sort of pest eating my columbine. I’m not sure if it’s Sam the groundhog, but he’s left them alone in previous years. Someone really went nuts on a couple. Columbine is supposed to be deer and rabbit resistant – but that’s not helping me! I’ve been trying to be generous and take the approach that there is enough for all of us to enjoy, but whatever it is has started eating my prized white columbine. And that’s a bridge too far!

Harvesting Columbine Seeds

Another awesome thing about columbine is that the seeds are incredibly easy to collect. After blooming, the plants form seed heads. Wait until they dry out – you’ll know the seeds are available when you shake the heads and you can hear the seeds rattling around. And you get so many seeds!

I like to collect the seeds, but have never been super diligent about separating my different varieties. This year, I want to separate out my white columbine in an effort to get more. My plan is to try to tag the stems while I can still identify them.

When I’ve sown them, I’ve simply spread the seeds and covered them lightly with earth. I have some columbine in full sun that is very happy. Others are in part shade and are doing well. I will say that the seeds I sowed in full shade have not done much. For the past two years, the leaves come up but never do much.

I’ve noticed many different types of columbine around the neighbourhood. Last year, I stole some seed heads from a pink columbine. But of course I misplaced them. Honestly, this blog could very well be called “The Disorganized Gardener”. I will be stealing some of those again, along with these, which are utterly fascinating.

I think I will start them using the winter sowing technique.

Looks like my career as a seed bandit will be going strong again this year. No columbine seed head is safe!