The Right Time to Plant Columbine

Columbine

• Columbine is an ancient perennial plant that has survived and adapted over the centuries. Colors range from blues, purples and maroon to reds, pinks, yellows and white. Wild columbines are in shades of red, while the array of other colors is found in cultivated plants. Blooms may be either erect (facing upright) or nodding (blossom opening facing down).

Seeds

• Columbine seeds are easy to collect, if your timing is right. Once the plants have finished blooming, watch for the seed pods to develop. When dry, the urn-shaped pod opens to reveal the seeds that can be removed with a gentle tap. It is best to sow these seeds in spring, giving the roots time to get established.

Transplants

• Columbine plants will reseed themselves, giving you many seedlings the following spring. These can be transplanted. Spring is the best time to transplant, giving the plant time to adapt to its new location. Transplanting can also take place in late summer or early fall once the plant has finished blooming. To conserve the plant's energy, cut the plant back by half before moving.

Interesting Info

• The nectar in the red-flowered columbine has twice as much sugar as the other colors, making them a favorite of hummingbirds. Columbine flowers are poisonous to humans, though early Native Americans used various parts as medicine. The genus name, Aquilegia, means "like an eagle," referring to the flowers' spurs, which look like eagle talons.