Aquilegia hybrid red star or Columbine – a wonderful flower for your flowerbeds and garden

by Eva October 11, 2021

written by Eva October 11, 2021

Aquilegia hybrid red star or Columbine – a wonderful flower for your flowerbeds and garden

Aquilegia hybrid red star, known also as the ‘Columbine, or Grannys bonnets‘ these plants are fascinating, traditional hardy perennials with nodding flowers carried on upright stiff stems above delicate fern-like, light green foliage, one of our all-time favorites it mixes beautifully with alliums, irises, geraniums, etc.

PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION

Columbine attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds; its spring bloom makes it valuable as an early-season nectar source. It is also deer and rabbit resistant and grows happily in the dappled sun of woodland edges or sunny cottage gardens. It spreads agreeably from self-sowing, although they readily cross with each other to produce many surprises in the following years. Cut most flower stalks after bloom to encourage rebloom, leaving some to drop seed and renew plantings. Trim foliage for fresh new growth after bloom if desired.

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Final Spacing: 3-4 cm
Water Use: Medium Water Use
Watering Details: Plants are somewhat drought tolerant but do best with evenly moist soil; about 1″ of water per week, more in full sun.
Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral
Fertilizer: Mix in a couple of inches of compost annually.
Diseases & Pests: A common pest of columbines, leaf miners damage leaves by chewing tunnels in the leaves. At the first indication of damage, pick off the affected leaves and destroy or use sprays of Bacillus thuringiensis, a biological, to combat.

Plant: Clumps of medium-green, somewhat fern-like foliage on the slender, delicate green to mauve-brown stems. Foliage provides a ground cover effect after blooming has ceased.
Seeds: Flowers will turn into follicles containing many greenish-black seeds. If planning to collect seeds, do so before the follicles burst, when they are still slightly greenish-brown in color. Self-sows very readily.
When to Cut: 1/2 florets have opened