Rocky Mountain Columbine
Aquilegia coerulea
Rocky Mountain Columbine is a perennial for edging, mid-border, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay or loam, flowering Apr, May, Jun.
| Type | Perennial |
|---|---|
| Mature height | 60 cm |
| Spread | 45 cm |
| Aspect | full sun to partial shade |
| Foliage | Deciduous |
| Hardiness | USDA 4a-7b, RHS H7 |
| Pollinator-friendly | Yes |
| Pet-safe | No |
Where to use it in a border
At around 60 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 45 cm of room to spread, roughly 2 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 4a to 7b and rated H7 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.
It appears in our lists of full sun, clay soil, pollinator-friendly plants.
Border Builder uses Rocky Mountain Columbine's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.
Flowering through the year
Worth knowing
- Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
- Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.
Good companions
Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:
- African Iristo flower when it does not
- American Beautyberryfor height behind it
- American Elderberry 'Adams'for height behind it
- American Spikenardfor height behind it
- American Wisteria 'Amethyst Falls'for height behind it
- Angelita Daisyto edge in front
Garden styles
Sources
Bloom timing and hardiness drawn from: