Perennials · 4 varieties
Aquilegia (Columbine)
Earlybird columbines — intricate spurred blooms in spring; hummingbirds hit them on arrival.
- Light
- Shade to part shade
- Height
- 9–11″ varies by variety
- Spread
- 8–10″
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9 hardy here
- Blooms
- May–Jun
- Deer
- Usually left alone
- Rabbits
- Usually left alone
- Pollinators
- Bees and butterflies work it
- Containers
- Good in pots
- Pets
- Not on the ASPCA list ask us
Height varies a lot between varieties here — anywhere from 9″ to 11″. Check the tag, or ask us which one suits the spot you have in mind.
Mounds and fills — the filler that knits a planting together.
The 4 Aquilegia (Columbine) varieties we grow
Every variety we grow. Photos are going up through the season. Tap the on any variety to save it to your list. Availability changes daily — call (763) 742-8774 for what’s on the bench today.
Variety by variety
East Bethel and the north metro are zone 4; Minneapolis and St. Paul are zone 5. Green comes back in both; yellow comes back in zone 5.
| Variety | Hardiness | Blooms | Size & sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earlybird Purple Bluewine purple with indigo-blue centers | HardinessHardy to zone 4comes back everywhere we deliver | Blooms May–Jun | Size 9–11″ × 8–10″ Sun to part shade · deer usually leave it alone |
| Earlybird Purple Whitepurple and white | HardinessHardy to zone 4comes back everywhere we deliver | Blooms May–Jun | Size 9–11″ × 8–10″ Sun to part shade · deer usually leave it alone |
| Earlybird Purple Yellowpurple with pale yellow centers | HardinessHardy to zone 4comes back everywhere we deliver | Blooms May–Jun | Size 9–11″ × 8–10″ Sun to part shade · deer usually leave it alone |
| Earlybird Red Yellowred with pale yellow centers | HardinessHardy to zone 4comes back everywhere we deliver | Blooms May–Jun | Size 9–11″ × 8–10″ Sun to part shade · deer usually leave it alone |
Plant it with
Aquilegia (Columbine) likes shade. These share its light and add different heights or bloom times, so the bed keeps going:
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Grown chemical-free in our own seven greenhouses in East Bethel — not trucked in. Come see it in person, or use the plant picker to find what suits your spot.