Clememtine Blue Columbine
Aquilegia vulgaris 'Clementine Blue'
Height: 15 inches
Spread: 12 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 2
Other Names: Granny's Bonnet, Crowfoot
Description:
Dainty, nodding, medium blue flowers resemble double-flowering clematis; on a compact, many-branched plant; makes a welcome addition to shade and woodland gardens
Ornamental Features
Clememtine Blue Columbine is smothered in stunning nodding blue bell-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its lobed compound leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the season.
Landscape Attributes
Clememtine Blue Columbine is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting bees to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Clememtine Blue Columbine is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Clememtine Blue Columbine will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant should only be grown in a well-shaded location. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
Clememtine Blue Columbine is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
