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Aquilegia vulgaris

common columbine

common columbine

© RHS

22 suppliers RHS Plant Shop from £2.99

  • Other common names common columbine
    American bluebells

    American snapdragon
    capon's tail
    cock's foot
    culverwort
    dove plant
    God's breath
    granny's bonnets
    lady's shoes
    lion's herb
    naked woman's foot
    pigeon flower
    pigeon foot
    sow wort

    see more

  • Family Ranunculaceae

  • Genus Aquilegia are clump-forming herbaceous perennials with long-stalked, ternately divided basal leaves and erect, leafy stems bearing bell-shaped flowers with spreading, coloured sepals and petals with spurs, on branched stems

  • Details Aquilegia vulgaris, the wild species is usually blue, with nodding "bonnets", but many purple, mauve, pink and white colour variants have developed in gardens during its long history in cultivation

  • Plant range W,C&S Europe

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Habit Bushy

  • Toxicity Sap may irritate skin

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H7

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect South-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Exposed or Sheltered

Soil

  • Sand

    Sand

  • Loam

    Loam

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained

  • SoilSand, Loam

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 0.5-1 metres

  • Ultimate spread 0.1-0.5 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 2-5 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade

Propagation Propagate by seed sown in spring, late summer or early autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types Flower borders and beds Low Maintenance Underplanting of Roses and Shrubs City & Courtyard Gardens Cottage & Informal Garden

How to care

Pruning Cut back after flowering

Pests May be attacked by aphids

Diseases Susceptible to powdery mildews and aquilegia downy mildew

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Aquilegia vulgaris

common columbine

Buy from £2.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £2.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

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