Aquilegia formosa var. truncata

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truncated beautiful columbine

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truncated beautiful columbine RHS

Synonyms

Aquilegia truncata
Aquilegia californica

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial

A perennial growing to a height of up to 80cm. The flowers consist of red-orange outer sepals and yellow inner petals have long spurs, red-orange in colour. Flowering is from May to August

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, 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

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

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or West–facing or East–facing or South–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)
H5

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
Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. An open or lightly wooded area is ideal

Propagation

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

Suggested planting locations and garden types

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

Pruning

Cut back after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews and aquilegia downy mildew