Aquilegia canadensis (Wild Columbine)

Size: 1-3’ tall / 1-1.5’ wide

Sun: Part shade

Soil: Rich, Moist, Well-Drained, Adaptable

Bloom Time: Spring

Deer Resistance: 4.5/5

Ecotype: Pennsylvania 

Aquilegia canadensis is the east coast's only native columbine and arguably one of our most striking wildflowers. It is a petite perennial with intricate red and yellow flowers that bloom in the spring. While it prefers rich soils in part sun, it is quite adaptable to drier and sunnier conditions. In the wild, I've seen it growing both on steep, wet mountainsides in the shade and in sandy meadows in full sun. This is an easy native plant to introduce into your landscape. 

Wild Columbine is a relatively short-lived perennial, but it will self-sow and fill in empty spaces in the garden. The entire plant appears delicate, with thin stems holding up both the leaves and flowers, but it is quite tough. It's best used in informal garden spaces, where the self-seeding nature is welcome. 

Along with long-tongued bees, butterflies, and hawk moths, the flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds. It is also the sole larval host plant for the Columbine Duskywing butterfly. In late summer, it is common to see leaf miner damage on the leaves, but this doesn't set the plant back and can provide some interest in and of itself. The seeds provide a food source for birds like finches, buntings, and chickadees. Wild Columbine is seldom browsed by deer or rabbits.