Aquilegia 'Chaffinch' (Songbird Series)

RHS Plant Profile
columbine 'Chaffinch'

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columbine 'Chaffinch' RHS
columbine 'Chaffinch' RHS
columbine 'Chaffinch' RHS
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Herbaceous Perennial

A vigorous but compact, short-lived perennial with mid-green, divided leaves. Long-spurred, upward-facing flowers, 4-5cm across, with soft yellow inner petals and light rose pink outer petals and spurs, appear in late spring and early summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand, Chalk, Clay

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

Loam Sand Chalk Clay
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or North–facing or East–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

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Ranunculaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
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
Accepted

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; home-saved seed may not come true. Established plants can also be propagated by division in spring, but they dislike root disturbance and will be slow to recover

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Cut flowers
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

To encourage more flowers (and prevent self-seeding) deadhead regularly. Cut back foliage after flowering to promote fresh growth in late summer

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