Aquilegia 'Colorado' (State Series)

RHS Plant Profile
columbine 'Colorado'

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columbine 'Colorado' RHS

Synonyms

Aquilegia 'Colorado'
Aquilegia 'Colorado' (Swan Series)
Aquilegia 'Colorado' (Songbird Series)

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial

A clump-forming herbaceous perennial to 60cm tall with divided leaves forming a basal mound. Flowers borne from early spring into summer have deep purple outer sepals sometimes tipped with white and white inner petals with purple spurs

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

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

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or 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)
H7

Colour & Scent

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
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

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

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required, but can be cut back after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, aquilegia sawfly and leaf miners

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, aquilegia downy mildew, and fungal leaf spot