Wild Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Family Ranunculaceae

Brief Description: Stands 1-3 feet in height. Flowers are nodding; 1.25-1.75 inches wide. Sepals are red; petals have a yellow blade and are nearly straight, with a red spur which is 0.75-1 inch long. Leaves consist of three-lobed leaflets.

Blooms from April to June.

Geographic Range: From Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, south to Florida and Texas.

Habitat: Dry woods, rocky cliffs and ledges and even peat bogs; light, well-drained soil with light shade.

Propagation: Check to see if the seeds are ripe before the fruits open by splitting a fruit; collect if the seeds are black. Dry the fruit in a bag for a few days to ensure that the seeds are ripe. Plant immediately, or if necessary, put in a dry, sealed container and refrigerate. Sow in an outdoor seedbed and look for seedlings the following spring.

Garden Use: Hummingbirds are regular visitors to this flower. Wild Columbine is best planted in the front of the flower border, or mix it into a meadow. This flower is also nice in cut arrangements.

Historic Uses: Columba is Latin for Dove. Among the Indians of the Missouri region, some bachelors use this plant as a perfume by crushing it and smearing the paste among clothes; the scent lasts a long time when damp.