Aquilegia viridiflora

RHS Plant Profile

green-flowered columbine

RHS

Synonyms

Aquilegia atropurpurea Willd. non Miq.

Herbaceous Perennial

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A short-lived perennial, to 30cm tall, with lobed, divided foliage and small, fragrant flowers with purple-flushed, pale green sepals and deep purple petals and spurs in late spring and early summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
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 & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Ranunculaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
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
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Far East

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. See aquilegia cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe or in spring. It can also be propagated by division in spring but the plant will be slow to recover

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
City and courtyard gardens
Wildlife gardens
Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back foliage affected by fungal diseases

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, leaf miners, aquilegia gall midge and aquilegia sawfly

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews and aquilegia downy mildew