Aquilegia, also known as granny’s bonnet, is a genus of perennials native to the meadows and woodlands of the Northern Hemisphere. It is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes anemone, hellebores, and bugbane. Growing 4″ to 5′ tall, plants form erect clumps of basal foliage and have slender, branching leafy stem. The ferny leaves are carried on long petioles, and are pinnately compound 1-3 times usually with 3-lobed leaflets. Flowers may be white, yellow, red, blue or combinations. They are erect or nodding, and usually have 5 petal-like sepals alternating with 5 true petals surrounding a center of numerous stamens. The petals have a broad tube in front and a projecting spur behind with spur length varying with the species. Columbines tend to thrive in part shade and in fertile, moist, well-drained soil, but tolerate less. They are generally short-lived and prone to disfigurement by leaf miners. Many attract pollinators.
The genus name, Aquilegia, comes from the Latin word aquila meaning eagle in referense to the resemblance of the spurs to the talons of an eagle.
Photo Credit: Dr. Thomas G. Barnes, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The environmental conditions in the Midwest have resulted in at least 2 native species of columbine there but they may be native to other places too. All of the columbines described here are native to at least one of the states in the Midwest.
Smallflower Columbine (Aquilegia brevistyle)
The compound leaves have wavy-edged leaflets. The small nodding flowers have wide spread, blue to lavender sepals and white to pale yellow petals with blue hooked spurs. The flowers are attractive to butterflies, humming birds and other pollinators.
Alternate Name/s: Blue columbine
Native Range: South Dakota as well as parts of the Rocky Mountain area
Habitat: Open woods, stream banks, and moist meadows and outcrops, at mid-elevations in the montane zone; often associated with limestone and other calcareous substrates
Type: Perennial
Height: 8-31″
Bloom Time: Early to mid summer
Bloom Color: Blue and white to pale yellow
Light: Part shade
Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained; tolerates some dryness
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-warmer (?)
Photo Credit: Mary Schäffer Warren, Wikispecies
Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
The compound leaves are divided into 3 leaflets. Each leaflet is oval, up to 3″ long, and has rounded lobes. The nodding flowers are 1-2″ across and have red spreading sepals and yellow petals with red spurs. The flowers are attractive to humming birds, butterflies, and other pollinators including bumble bees. The seeds attract birds.
Alternate Name/s: Wild Columbine, Jack in Trousers, Turks Cap
Native Range: All of the Midwest as well as areas of the Southeast, Southwest, Mid-Atlantic, and New England
Habitat: Woodlands with calcareous soils
Type: Perennial
Height: 2-3′
Bloom Time: Spring
Bloom Color: Red, yellow, pink
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Soil: Humusy, moderately moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The Midwest is comprised of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The area includes lakes, mountains, and vast fertile plains that are the “bread basket” of the nation. The climate of the Midwest has great variations in temperatures with hot humid temperature averaging 85-95 F in summer and winter temperatures often falling below 0 F. Precipitation comes in the form of both rain and snow and varies from 43.6″/year to 18.8″/year.