Red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is a species of flowering plant related to the buttercup. Aquilegia canadensisis also called the wild columbine or red columbine and grows throughout woods and rocky mountain regions of eastern North America. Red columbine are considered easy to grow in well-drained average soils. The flowers attract hummingbirds and are often planted in cottage gardens and hummingbird gardens.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Aquilegia canadensis, the Canadian or Canada columbine, eastern red columbine, or wild columbine, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. It is an herbaceous perennial native to woodland and rocky slopes in eastern North America, prized for its red and yellow flowers. It readily hybridizes with other species in the genus Aquilegia.
The plant is 15–90 cm (6–35 in) tall. The fern-like leaves are lobed and grouped in threes, growing from the base and off the flowering stems. The flowers are 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) long and have yellow petals with a red spur and red sepals. They appear in late spring (usually in May and June), nodding on stems above the leaves. The round end of the spur contains nectar, which is sought by butterflies and hummingbirds.
The caterpillars of columbine duskywing (Erynnis lucilius) feed on the leaves.
The plant is easily propagated from seed, and blooms the second year from sowing. It is relatively long lived in the garden. It grows well in shade, and in sun with proper moisture.
The cultivar ‘Little Lanterns’ is half the height of the species.
Canada columbine contains a cyanogenic glycoside, which releases poisonous hydrogen cyanide when the plant is damaged.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Most Columbines prefer a semi-shaded environment, but they can also grow well under full sunlight in areas where it is cool in summer. It is necessary to avoid direct long-time sunlight in the hot summer, otherwise it will easily wither, so appropriate shading for the plant is suggested. You can put it on the indoor windowsill if used as a potted plant so hummingbirds, bees and butterflies will come during the flowering period.
Aquilegia yabeana is one of the few heat-resistant plants that can stand direct sunlight at the same time among Columbines.
Watering
Red columbine prefers a slightly moist but well-drained growing environment, so it can be watered once a week or watered until the soil is dry through. As the plant is thin and weak, water it slowly without too much.
Soil
Red columbine likes moist but well-drained sandy loam with plenty of nutrients and neutral acidity. The use of clayey soil should be avoided with an appropriate pH of 5.7 to 7. Garden soil mixed with sand, peat, compost and humus can be used to plant red columbine to ensure adequate soil nutrients and good air permeability. A layer of covering can be added to the soil surface to preserve heat in winter.
Since its root system is relatively shallow, it does not need to prepare too deep soil or too deep flowerpot, a shallow place or flowerpot will be fine, and it is also preferable to plant it around trees with a developed root system. The recommended distance between each plant is at least 30 cm.
Fertilizing
One or two teaspoons of general plant fertilizer or bone meal can be mixed into the soil as the base fertilizer before planting, and liquid fertilizer can be applied to Columbines once a month during the growing season to promote leaf growth and make the flowers more attractive.
Planting Instructions
Red columbine is mostly perennial plants and can generally live for 4 to 5 years, with some species only living for 1 to 2 years. We can propagate it by sowing or transplanting in general. Since the seeds of red columbine have a short shelf life, they should be sown in the year of collection. Prepare slightly moistened sandy soil before sowing, spread the seeds evenly and press the soil gently and cover it with a layer of glass instead of a layer of fine soil and then place it in a shady environment with a temperature at about 18 to 24 ℃ for germination.
It takes a relatively long time for seeds to germinate, which is about 2 to 4 weeks, and it may take a few seeds several months to break the dormancy and finally germinate. In general, seeds of red columbine do not need to be exposed to low temperature to promote germination, but if the seeds do not germinate after a long time, they can be stored at a low temperature environment of -4 to 4 ℃ for 2 to 4 weeks to break the dormancy, and then they can be taken out again for sowing. Seeds that are not used for the time being can also be stored in a refrigerator at low temperature until the next sowing season.
Red columbine has a strong ability of self-seeding and can spread naturally without being sown, so you can also transplant the seedlings and place them where you want them. Its root cap should be flush with the soil surface and all the fragile and fine roots should all be buried in the soil when transplanting.
As the root system of red columbine is relatively fragile, which is not very suitable for division propagation, so if you have to divide a plant, you need to dig out the whole plant and use a sharp knife to divide the whole root system into several clumps and plant them separately as soon as possible without shaking off the root soil. It is better to divide plants in spring and support them with plant stakes when the plant grows higher.
Pruning
You can cut off the withered leaves in summer thus they can regrow. Pruning the withered flowers in time can reduce unnecessary nutrient consumption and prolong the flowering period.
If there is no need to collect seeds at the end of the flowering period, all the above-ground parts of the plant can be cut back for its germination in the next year. The whole plant can be uprooted in fall if the red columbine has been planted for three or four years and new seedlings can be planted with seeds.
Propagation
Red columbine usually produces a large number of seeds after blooming, which can be collected for sowing in fall. If the seeds are not collected, they will often spread naturally and grow many self-seedlings in fall or the next spring. As the self-seeding ability of red columbine is so powerful that it should be controlled to prevent the seedlings of red columbine from spreading out of the garden.
In addition, red columbine is very easy to hybridize with each other. If you want to keep the characters of the seed plant and its mother plant consistent, you can plant different Columbine species at regular intervals to avoid hybridization.
Transplanting
The best time to transplant red columbine is during early spring or from mid-fall to late fall, when the plant’s growth is relatively slower. Choose a location with partial shade and well-draining soil. Gently loosen the root ball when transplanting, to encourage healthy growth.
III. Uses and Benefits
- Ornamental uses
Red columbine is a popular accent plant in partially sunny gardens prized for its colorful red and yellow tubular blooms. It attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators, making it an essential addition in bee and butterfly gardens. For a pleasing contrast, it is often planted next to iris, foxglove, and daylilies.
- Medicinal uses
Native American tribes used various parts of red columbine in herbal remedies for ailments such as headache, sore throat, fever, rash caused by poison ivy, stomatitis, kidney and urinary problems, and heart problems. Native American men also rubbed crushed seeds on their hands as a love charm.
Find Where to Buy the Best Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
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