How to Grow and Care for Columbine

The common columbine is a tall, flowering plant, typically with a long stem and light purple flowers. The Latin specific name for the plant, "vulgaris," means "common," and it comes from the fact that the plants spread easily and grow in many places around Europe. Ancient Romans considered the common columbine to be sacred for the goddess, Venus.

Red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is a species of flowering plant related to the buttercup. Aquilegia canadensisis also called the wild columbine or red columbine and grows throughout woods and rocky mountain regions of eastern North America. Red columbine are considered easy to grow in well-drained average soils. The flowers attract hummingbirds and are often planted in cottage gardens and hummingbird gardens.

Colorado blue columbine (Aquilegia coerulea) is a plant species discovered on Pike's Peak in 1820. The colorado blue columbine is the state flower of Colorado. The species can grow in a pale blue color, which gives it its latin name, coerulea. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees are attracted to the colorado blue columbine.

This vigorous and hardy perennial is a delightful addition to the shade garden with its large, yellow blooms. Golden columbine self-seeds prolifically and is easy to grow. For best results, keep the soil moist but not soggy and dead-head old blooms.

The yellow columbine is a wildflower whose flower is most commonly yellow, but portions of it can also be yellow-pink or cream-colored. The seed has been used historically as a natural pesticide. The yellow columbine is commonly seen in garden centers and is a gardener favorite in shady garden spaces. A close cousin, Aquilegia caerulea, is the state flower of Colorado.