Wild Columbine
(Aquilegia Canadensis)
Wild Columbine is a perennial flower and is found throughout the Eastern United States. It grows in a variety of soils and conditions - woodland trail edges, river banks, and rocky forest undergrowth - which makes it easy to garden for beginners. Best of all, it is drought-resistant.
Environmental Benefits
Wild Columbine are native plants that can suppress weeds and other unwanted vegetation from your garden. It makes a wonderful companion plant to other species and is a wonderful accent in shade under a tree. Because of its native range, it can withstand cold temperatures and is usually the first plant to sprout from winter. It produces blooms early in the spring and is an early food source for hungry pollinators. Lastly, it’s tolerance to drought conditions, Wild Columbine don’t require much care.
Growing Instructions
Wild Columbine is readily and very easily propagated from seeds.
Timing: Seeds can be sown in fall or very early spring. Depending on the zone, seeds can be cold-moist stratified for germination when temperatures are 40°F or below for about 4 weeks.
Sowing: Spread seeds in a wide cast (approx. a dozen in a 2 - 3 ft diameter) directly on the soil surface. Lightly hand-rake seeds into the soil and tamp down. If your garden bed is mulched, be careful not to tamp seeds too much. Mulch is a good stabilizer and will keep the seeds in place.
Conditions: Full Shade/Indirect Sunlight; partial sun; 3-4 hours of direct sunlight. Keep soil moist until seeds have sprouted. Keep soil moist for 2-3 weeks after germination. When the plant has matured, keep roots in moist soil.
Wild Columbine does best in shade cover. It can tolerate sunny conditions. However, it will experience browning and wilt, and more frequent watering is required.
Gardeners Notes:
Self-propagation is likely. Wild Columbine will produce an abundant seed harvest and will likely drop seeds on its own that will come up later in the season or the next growing season.
Wild Columbine appreciates (but doesn’t require) a lot of space because of natural seed dispersal.
