Flower of the Week: Columbine
Columbine is one of the most eye-catching plants in spring and summer gardens. Its vividly-colored, elegantly-curved flowers and lovely, clover-shaped leaves bestow an eccentric yet romantic charm upon this perennial herb native to Europe. As one of the genera in the Ranunculaceae family, which is full of beautiful species, columbine has plentiful cultivars and is superbly adaptable.
The plant’s genus name, Aquilegia, comes from the Latin word for “eagle” (aquila). Perhaps the initial person who named it took notice of the plant’s upward-warping spurs behind the petals and felt they looked like the talons of an eagle. The more commonly used name, columbine, comes from the Latin word for “dove” (columba), and an inverted flower does look like five converged doves.
Among the 60 to 70 sub-species of columbine, you’ll find bizarre-looking yet elegant spurs on almost all of them. This unforgettable look makes people wonder why the plant evolved to form such a strange structure.
Many animals feed on nectar, but the complex structure of spurs is a barrier that makes the nectar difficult to collect. In the foraging process, nectar feeders have to labor over the flowers back and forth. This actually increases the pollinating rate of columbines.
Spurs vary dramatically among different species of columbines. In regards to the length of the spurs, A. ecalcarata is nearly spurless while A. longissima has spurs as long as 10 cm or more. When it comes to the shape of the spurs, A. vulgaris has curved spurs while A. viridiflora’s spurs are almost straight. Columbines’ various spurs are evolved to host different visitors.
White-lined Sphinx and Columbine
Besides the differences in floral color and orientation, each species of Aquilegia has evolved a unique spur structure to attract a specific pollinator. For example, A. viridiflora‘s short and straight spurs are fit for bees, spurless A. ecalcarata are best for hoverflies, and A. longissima‘s super-long spurs are accessible to hawk moths with a long proboscis.
Indigenous Americans enjoy eating various columbine flowers in small amounts and using them for condiments together with other fresh vegetables. It’s reported that these flowers taste very sweet and are safe to eat in tiny quantities. However, the seeds and roots of columbines are highly poisonous and contain cardiogenic toxins. If consumed for food, they could cause severe gastroenteritis and heart palpitations, even turning fatal in serious conditions. For this reason, it’s best to resist the impulse to eat columbines. To stay on the safe side, don’t even attempt to taste the flowers, as it’s hard to determine a safe amount for consumption.
Columbines love partially shaded environments and soil with good drainage. You can begin growing them from seeds or small seedlings. The best season for seeding is in spring. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of dirt and wait for them to sprout, then expect flowers the following year. Deadheading the faded flowers helps them blossom more.
Columbines’ native habitats are high-altitude mountains and prairies.
Leaf miners can often be found on the leaves of columbines, who leave behind graffiti-like spots. This type of insect larvae is not especially harmful, and some consider the random motley appearances of the leaves an interesting look. You can easily find the larvae by following the spots, but if you like the altered appearance, you can leave them on the plant. If you don’t like the look, just crush the larvae as you find them.
Size: 15 to 20 inches high, 12 to 18 inches wide
Hardiness: Zones 3 to 9
Sunlight: Partial shade
Soil: Sandy and loose, well-drained soils
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer