The magical bell-shaped flowers of the columbine with their characteristic short or long spurs enchant every garden with their grace and fine play of colors. The pretty flowering perennials come in many colors and with small and large flowers, which they show at this time.
When is the flowering time of the columbine?
The columbine has its main flowering period in May and continues to bloom into June or July. During this time, its characteristic bell-shaped flowers in different colors and sizes are particularly attractive to bees and other insects.
When does the columbine bloom?
The columbine has its main flowering time in May, although it shows its pretty flowers at least until June - depending on the species and variety, sometimes even into July. During this time, the calyxes, which are rich in pollen and nectar, are often visited by bees, bumblebees and also hoverflies - the perennial is considered a good decorative plant and is therefore considered important for the insect world.
The long flower stems can also be cut and used as cut flowers in (mixed) bouquets.
What do you do with the columbine after it has bloomed?
After the flowering period, you should cut off the spent stems of the columbine if self-sowing is not desired. However, if you want the buttercup plant to multiply, leave a few flowers alone: the flower will grow out easily on its own, so that you can ensure that there are always new columbines in the bed and also in the pot without any further effort.
But be careful: This does not apply to the new breeds, which come in red, blue or yellow or can even be two-colored: If these plants are sown, the blue-flowered wild form will usually develop from them.
Can columbine bloom twice?
In fact, the columbine can bloom twice a year as long as you remove the spent stems after the main blooming period. Fertilize the perennial after pruning, for example with a little compost (€10.00 on Amazon), and it will bloom again in late summer or early autumn.
What colors can the flowers of the columbine take?
The wild form of the columbine, Aquilegia vulgaris, flowers blue and has blue-green, rounded, pinnate leaves. There are old cottage garden forms such as 'Grandmothers Garden' (multicolored mixture with white, dark red, blue, violet and pink flowers) and 'Black Barlow' (spherical, black-red flowers).
There are also new, large-flowered varieties that can also bloom yellow or two-tone. These include 'Crimson Star' (Aquilegia caerulea, red-white flowers) or 'Yellow Queen' (Aquilegia chrysantha, golden-yellow, long-spurred flowers).
How big do the flowers of the columbine get?
The flowers of the common columbine are about three to five centimeters high and just as wide. Newer varieties can develop significantly larger flowers with heads up to 10 centimeters long.
The perennial itself reaches a height of between 20 and 70 centimeters, depending on the location, species and variety.
Tip
Which flower looks similar to the columbine?
The Columbine Rue (Thalictrum aquilegiifolium) has delicate, purple flowers that can be admired from May to June. This wild perennial reaches a height of between 50 and 100 centimeters and also prefers a sunny to semi-shady location as well as a humus-rich, not too dry garden soil.
