Scientific Name
Aquilegia bertolonii Schott
Common Name(s)
Bertoloni Columbine, Apennines Columbine
Synonym(s)
Aquilegia pyrenaica subsp. bertolonii, Aquilegia pyrenaica var. bertolonii, Aquilegia reuteri
Scientific Classification
Family: Ranunculaceae
Subfamily: Isopyroideae
Tribe: Isopyreae
Subtribe: Isopyrinae
Genus: Aquilegia
Origin
Aquilegia bertolonii is native to southern France and Italy.
Flower
Color: Blue-purple
Bloom Time: Early summer
Description
Aquilegia bertolonii is an alpine herbaceous perennial with erect stems and much-divided basal leaves. It grows up to 12 inches (30 cm) tall.
In early summer, each stem produces up to 4 spurred blue-purple flowers.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 6a to 8b: from −10 °F (−23.3 °C) to 20 °F (−6.7 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Columbine plants can handle full sun. They don't like the combination of heat and dry soil, and mulching will help alleviate that. They will self-sow, but new plants can be lost if the summer gets too hot. Also, plants tend to be short-lived, fading out within three years. Hedge your bets and save some seeds to sow in the fall or falling spring. Keep in mind that Columbine varieties readily cross-pollinate. If you plant more than one variety, be prepared to see new colors and combinations. If self-sowing becomes a nuisance, shear the plants back in mid-summer to prevent seed pods from forming.
You can start Columbine from seed or plant. Seeds can be direct sown throughout spring. The seeds need light to germinate, so simply press them on the soil surface and barely cover with soil. Since Columbine is a perennial, it will take two years from planting seeds for them to bloom.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Columbine.
Links
- Back to genus Aquilegia
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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