Seasonal Wild Flowers

Columbine

Latin name

Aquilegia vulgaris

Family

Ranunculaceae

Other names

Granny's bonnet

Flowering season

April to July

English distribution

It is found throughout the country, but is most common in

the West and South, and least common in the East

Midlands and Northeast.

See the BSBI distribution map for Columbine

Habitat

Native and garden escape popularions are difficult to tell

apart.

They grow in open woodland and scrub, by streams, paths,

railways and roads, in damp grassland and on walls.

Description

Columbine is a native, perennial herb, growing up to 1m.

Flowers are up to 5cm across. Native flowers are mainly

blue, but garden escapes may be pink, purple, red or

white.

The 5 sepals are petal-like and the petals are tubular

with a backward facing spur, which secretes nectar.

There are around 50 fertile stamens and 10 infertile,

white staminodes.

The fruits are hairy and beaked.

Lower leaves are lobed trefoils.

Flowering stem leaves are in 3s and lanceolate.

The stem is woody.

It is deep rooted, persistent and invasive.

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Columbines

Blue-purple flower

Reddish flower

Blue sepals and petals

Petal tubes, stamens and staminodes

Beaked fruits (5 to 10)

Trifoliate leaves

Flowering stem upper leaves