Named after the Latin word for eagle, Aquilegia’s intricate flowers resemble these graceful hunters in mid-flight. Offering a perfect blend of elegance and whimsy with their distinctive spurred blossoms and soft foliage, these are captivating perennials. Beyond the symbolism, Columbine brings a graceful, airy presence to the garden landscape. Whether you’re looking for a compact types for front of border plantings, or the drama of the taller varieties, all have the same characteristic three-lobed leaves that add great textural interest when not in bloom.

Additionally, Aquilegia shares a delightful characteristic with many spring ephemerals—its self-seeding habit. Once established, these elegant native columbines create naturalistic drifts that return year after year. While individual parent plants may be relatively shorter-lived (3-5 years), their legacy continues through these seedlings, ensuring your garden maintains that enchanting, effortless woodland character that makes native plant gardens so appealing.

Ideally suited for naturalizing in dappled woodland settings, Aquilegia, adapts beautifully to partially shaded garden beds, bringing their unique charm to various landscape designs. Given enough moisture, Aquilegia can also tolerate sunnier beds or even full-sun. Loved by ruby-throated humming birds and other native pollinators, Aquilegia also resists browsing by deer and rabbits.

Aquilegia canadensis (Wild Red Columbine)

Aquilegia canadnesis (Wild Red Columbine) creates a stunning visual display with its nodding red flowers accentuated by bright yellow centers during its April to May blooming period. This adaptable wildflower thrives in shady, rocky gardens and woodland habitats, but performs equally well in your average shade garden conditions. Deer and rabbit resistant, this native treasure provides essential early-season nectar for hummingbirds and other pollinators while bringing great color, height, and texture. Growing 2′ – 3′ tall, Aquilegia canadensis is the tallest of the varieties we carry.

Aquilegia canadensis ‘Corbett’

The ‘Corbett’ cultivar offers a delightful twist on the native species with its creamy-yellow, lantern-shaped blooms that hang gracefully above compact foliage. This chance seedling was discovered by Lawrence Clemens near Corbett, Maryland and introduced by Bluemount Nurseries. Its slightly more compact stature (12-18 inches tall by 15 inches wide) pairs beautifully with spring bulbs, creating irresistible garden vignettes. Notably more long-lived than many other Columbines, ‘Corbett’ is a magnet for Ruby-throated hummingbirds while brightening cottage gardens and sun-dappled woodland landscapes.

Aquilegia canadensis ‘Little Lanterns’

For gardeners seeking a more petite Columbine with maximum flower power, ‘Little Lanterns’ delivers magnificently. This outstanding selection maintains a shorter habit, offering more intensely colored blooms. The pendant flowers showcase a striking red and yellow color combination that covers the compact plants in late spring, creating a dramatic display. ‘Little Lanterns’ brings all the pollinator benefits of the species in a more garden-friendly form, making it perfect for front-of-border plantings, rock gardens, and spaces where the taller species might overwhelm neighboring plants.

Perfect Pairings

Look no further than these natives to create the perfect companion planting for your shade garden or woodland setting:

• Tiarella cordifolia (Foamflower) – Delicate white spring blooms and attractive foliage that provides groundcover texture beneath taller columbines.
• Phlox divaricata (Woodland Phlox) – Soft blue-lavender flowers that bloom around the same time as columbine, creating a beautiful color contrast. Read more about our native Phlox HERE
• Heuchera (Coral bells) – Offers attractive evergreen foliage in various shades with delicate flower spikes that complement columbine’s airy nature.
• Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern) – Evergreen fern that provides year-round structure and complements the delicate foliage of columbine.
• Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells) – A spring ephemeral with nodding blue-to-pink flowers that creates a stunning backdrop for columbines. Read more about our spring ephemerals HERE
• Stylophorum diphyllum (Celandine Poppy) – Bright yellow flowers and attractive foliage that thrives in similar conditions as columbine.
• Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium) – Lavender-pink blooms that flower around the same time as columbine, creating a complementary color palette.
• Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger) – Heart-shaped leaves create an excellent groundcover beneath the more vertical columbine plants.