While taking a walk through the tree lined streets in our city, I remember coming across a flower that I could not stop looking at for its unique shape and gorgeous salmon and white color petals. It was a flower that I knew I had to have however I was not sure what it was and I am sure you were thinking the same thing also.
Pink Columbine blooms wonderful salmon and white flower heads that resemble the head of an eagle at first glance. The scientific name in Latin is Aquilegia Canadensis comes to no surprise though. The Latin word Aquilegia resembles the word Aquilawhich means eagle. Therefore, it is no surprise the flowering head looks just like an eagle when closed. Although I think the flower looks just like an eagle head, many other people think that it resembles the outstretched talons of an eagle. So, either way, it looks like some part of an eagle.
This flowering plant is a relative to the buttercup flower therefore it is also a love flower of hummingbirds. It is perfect for any cottage garden or hummingbird garden. It is wonderful for just about any garden though since it will live and bloom in just about any shade or sun filled garden. We have our plants near the side of house that gets only about two hours of sunlight in the morning hours. The plant that we say walking on the street nearby our house was in direct shade though under a few oaks trees. I have seen them also in direct sunlight though, so it really does not matter the location of planting. It is a spring blooming flower also, so it is one of the earliest flowers in the garden.
Another advantage to this plant is that it does not need special attention with lots of watering (saves time and money) or rich potting soil. There are some people that spend lots of money in the spring on potting soil, partially because they are eager to get into the green garden and partially because they have too many picky plants. Pink Columbine is not one of those picky plants though. To plant the flower, just place it is a slightly moist location, either in poor soil, rocky or anywhere else in the garden. It really is not picky. In addition, it can live in high acidity levels therefore can live in woodlands, especially under pine trees!
This very hardy plant can live in zones three to nine. Every year it will sow itself and recreate itself each year without too much effort by the gardener. The first plant can be purchase at a gardening center or online. It can be purchase either as seeds or plants. Unlike some flowers, the seeds are just as effective and bloom the second year after planting the seeds in the soil. Dividing and transplanting may be needed after around five years however it is not a fast spreading plant like other wildflowers. It can grow to around one to two feet in height. They are just wonderful to have in the garden!
Throughout history the Pink Columbine was loved for the color and the abilities that it possessed to be used as a perfume, herbal medicine and sometimes even love potions. As I am not sure about the love potions part, I would prefer to just keep the flowering plant as a lovely addition to any garden.
