Red Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
- Native to:
- Canada, Mexico, United States
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Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Genus:
- Aquilegia
- Species:
- Aquilegia canadensis
- USDA Symbol:
- AQCA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- red, yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
mayapple borer (Papaipema rutila), Pink-patched Looper Moth (Eosphoropteryx thyatyroides), red-edged acleris moth (Acleris albicomana), stalk borer moth (Papaipema leucostigma), Tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens), Purplish Copper (Erynnis lucilius)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Two-spotted bumble (Bombus bimaculatus) Hummingbirds: Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- hummingbirds, native bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers woodland and rocky slopes
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 21–30 days
- Germination Time:
- 21–30 days
- Notes:
- Light aids germination; surface sow or barely cover seeds. Seeds benefit from cold-moist stratification but fresh seeds may germinate without it.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Surface sowing and a 3-4 week chilling period as a precaution is suggested, although adequate germination has been achieved without this protocol.
Establishment: Seeds ripen at various times within the flower and can be collected over several days. Seed collection is done by hand from locally native plants. Some sources indicate that seeds need a chilling period and light to germinate, however, adequate germination has been achieved without chilling or surface-sowing.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 4C for 3 weeks, then place @ 20C.