Dig into Plants: Eastern Red Columbine

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Eastern Red Columbine

Other Common Names: Wild Red Columbine

Scientific Name: Aquilegia canadensis

Native to Alabama: Yes

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Sally and Andy Wasowski

Learn More About...

Basic Plant Information

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Jerry Garrett

I am a vascular plant with no woody stems above ground, so I am herbaceous.
I do not keep leaves year-round in colder climates and keep my leaves year-round in mild climates, so I am semi-evergreen.
I die back in winter but regrow in spring for many seasons, so I am perennial.
I can grow 2 – 3 feet high and 1 – 1.5 feet wide.

Ecological Benefits

This plant provides food for:

Butterflies

Native Bees

Other Pollinators

Hummingbirds

Other Birds

Maintenance Notes

Dormant in winter.
Flowers can be cut for an indoor vase.
Cut back old seed heads and stems in summer.
Does not bloom during first growing season.
When watering, hold hose to base of plant for a count of 5 seconds. Water should reach all roots.
Avoid sprinkling water on the leaves.
Requires average amount of water.

Average watering: water two times per week during the summer and once per week during the rest of the year.

Habitat Requirements

This plant prefers:

Part Sun/ Shade
(2-6 hours of sun per day)

Shade
(Less than 2 hours of
sun per day)

Average Watering

Well-drained, Sandy, Loamy, Limestone, Acidic,
or Moist Soil

Leaf, Flower & Seed Identification

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Ray Matthews

LEAF DESCRIPTION

Green to blue-green; leaves at the base of the plant are petiolate (have a stalk) and are twice ternately (with leaftlets in three’s) compound; leaflets are 3-lobed at the tips; leaves along the upper part of the stem do not have stalks (sessile) and are reduced in size.

Leaf Characteristics Chart (PDF)


Shape: Obovate	Margin: Lobed

Arrangement: Alternate	Form: Ternately Compound

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Steven Faucette

FLOWER DESCRIPTION

Drooping flowers 2 inches long with 5 upward spurred, tubular petals alternating with 5 small, colored, petal-like sepals and colored stamens hanging below the petals; petals are yellow and become redder at the tip of the spur.

Flower Shape Chart (JPG)


Color: Red, yellow, pink	Shape: Campanulate (bell-shaped)	Bloom Months: Feb – Jul

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Bruce Leander

SEED DESCRIPTION

Plant spreads by:
Seeds; Readily self-seeds


Type: Fruit - Dry Seed Pod	Description: Flowers are followed by 5 pod-shaped, tan follicles (dry seed pod) with long beaks that contain several, small, shiny black seeds	Months in Seed: Summer

Plant Life Cycle

Plant Life Cycle:

All plants start life as a seed.
The seed turns into a sprout when it grows roots.
The sprout becomes a seedling as grows a stem and leaves above the ground.
After the seedling becomes an adult plant it will grow flowers.

General Plant Life Cycle – Dreamstime

Plant Life Cycle continues:

After the flowers finish blooming, each flower turns into a seed.
When the seeds fall down to the ground, the plant life cycle starts again.
Each seed can become a plant if it has the food, water and space that it needs to grow.

Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center – John Hixson

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

Quick Fact Sheet
(Condensed Species Info)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only):
Ready as-is PDF

Plant ID Sign (With Picture):
Ready as-is PDF

QR Code
(Links to this Webpage)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only):
Editable Word Doc

Plant ID Sign (With Picture):
Editable Word Doc

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