AQUILEGIA vulgaris Columbine, Granny's Bonnet ____________________________________ Type: Perennial Height: 1-3' (30-90cm) Flowering Time: Summer Flower Colour: White, yellow, orange, red, pink, mauve, blue, purple ____________________________________ Botanical Classification: Class: Angiospermae (Angiosperms) Subclass: Dicotyledonae (Dicotyledons) Superorder: Magnoliidae (Magnolia Superorder) Order: Ranunculales (Buttercup Order) Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family) Genus: Aquilegia (Columbine) Species: vulgaris (common) ____________________________________

Aquilegia vulgaris is one of the most widely-grown spring and summer-flowering perennials. The original wild flower comes in shades of blue, purple, pink and white, around 2-3' tall, but hybrids have been bred for garden use, so that now these hardy perennials are available in all sizes from just a few inches to several feet high, in all colours and combinations of colours imaginable, and with different shapes from the original five pointed petals and five curved spurs to multi-layer petticoats, green-tipped petals and double spurless varieties.

Aquilegia vulgaris is fully hardy, not particular as to soil or position, and once established frequently self-sows in a wide range of colours. As plants hybridise readily, seeds from a particular colour flower will probably not produce plants with the same colour flowers.

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Harvesting and Growing from Seed:

	Seed Pod The seed pod is like three small upright pea pods joined together, opening into a deep star shape.
	Seed The seeds are small, shiny black pips. There are many seeds in a seedpod.
	Seedling The seedleaves are bluish and pointed. The first true leaves are divided into three rounded, almost frilly, leaflets.
Seed sowing and Germination Spring:   Seeds sown outside in spring germinated in 31 days. Autumn: Seeds sown outside in autumn germinated in 124 days.