Eastern Red Columbine

• Botanical name: Aquilegia canadensis
• Other common names: Canadian columbine, wild columbine
• Light: full sun, part shade
• Water needs: low, medium
• Soil: clay, loam, sand
• Height: 1 – 3 ft
• Bloom: March – April
• Sociability rating: 2
• Wildlife value: Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, finches

Wild columbine is a branching perennial that grows 2–3 feet tall and about 1.5 feet wide. The red and yellow flowers nod downward with distinctive backward-pointing spurs and dangling yellow stamens — an unusual and eye-catching combination. The rounded, lobed leaves are attractive even when the plant isn’t blooming.

It thrives in partial shade with moist, organically rich soil but tolerates more sun with adequate water. Blooms appear in early spring and last about a month.

The nectar spurs are perfectly shaped for hummingbirds and hawk moths, but butterflies and bumblebees visit regularly too. Finches and buntings will feed on the seeds once flowers fade.