Aquilegia Alpina P9 - ORG

Aquilegia alpina, also known as the alpine columbine, has a flower shape unlike that of any other plant. The curved spurs at the back of the flower, the drooping calyx and the layered structure of the petals give it a playful, almost fantastical quality — as if it had stepped straight out of an old botanical illustration book. The colour of this alpina is a deep, bright and pure purple.

She flowers in May and June, just as the garden is coming into its own. The flowers sit on graceful stems 30 to 60 cm tall and sway gently in the breeze — airy and full of character.

What does this columbine need?

It thrives in a sunny or semi-shaded spot. The soil should be light and well-drained; it does not tolerate heavy, wet soil very well. Plant it about 30 cm away from other plants, so it has room to show off its full form. After flowering, you can leave the seed heads in place — they are decorative and the plant likes to self-seed, which creates a lovely spontaneous effect in a naturalistic garden.

An early friend to bees

The long spurs of the columbine are just the right shape for bumblebees with long tongues. This makes Aquilegia alpina one of the earliest sources of nectar in the season — invaluable for insects searching for food after winter.

The alpine columbine also makes an excellent cut flower. Cut the stems early in the morning just as the flowers are opening, and they will stay fresh longest in the vase.

Year after year

Once planted, Aquilegia alpina is fully hardy and returns every spring. It becomes fuller with age and spreads here and there via seed — never intrusive, but always welcome.