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Aquilegia Songbird Series

columbine Songbird Series

  • Other common names columbine Songbird Series

  • Synonyms Aquilegia vulgaris 'Songbird'

  • 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 Songbird Series are bushy, compact plants to 50cm tall, with straight-spurred, upward-facing flowers in shades of blue, red or yellow, often with contrasting white petals

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Habit Bushy

  • Toxicity Sap may irritate skin. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling

  • 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)

    H5

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect South-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Exposed or Sheltered

Soil

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained

  • SoilLoam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 0.1-0.5 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 Cottage & Informal Garden City & Courtyard Gardens

How to care

Pruning Cut back after flowering

Pests May be attacked by aphids

Diseases Susceptible to powdery mildews and may get aquilegia downy mildew

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