A Wild Columbine flower is close-up. The bottom of the flower is yellow with stamens sticking out. Yellow columns lead up to bright red tubes. Red sepals flare downward between each tube.
To the left of a trail, many columbine plants with even more flowers are in bloom. Red and yellow colors are visible.
Five-parted seed capsules are on long stalks. The capsules have a long filament on the end and they are green.
A pale red with yellow Wild Columbine flower with the gray-green, lobed leaves in the background.
A Wild Columbine flower is close-up. The bottom of the flower is yellow with stamens sticking out. Yellow columns lead up to bright red tubes. Red sepals flare downward between each tube.
To the left of a trail, many columbine plants with even more flowers are in bloom. Red and yellow colors are visible.
Five-parted seed capsules are on long stalks. The capsules have a long filament on the end and they are green.
A pale red with yellow Wild Columbine flower with the gray-green, lobed leaves in the background.

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

from $3.50

Wild Columbine is a fairly common plant of woodlands and woodland edges, throughout Michigan. It can also take full sun (though probably not preferred) and in this case the foliage is often dark purple or it can even be almost black. This plant does quite well in a regular garden setting.

The red on the flowers as well as the long spurs communicate about the pollinator! Ruby throated hummingbirds are the most common pollinator of these plants. As the hummingbird reaches with its long beak up into the nectary in the red spurs, its head will brush the exserted yellow stamens with their yellow anthers. Moving from flower to flower, pollination will occur. Small bees will crawl up into the spurs to get nectar and bumblebees will collect pollen from the many stamens. There are several insects that use the foliage of this plant. See Info below for more information.

Flowers are yellow at the bases and form five columns that lead up into the red spurs and five sepals (also red) alternate with the spurs. Flowers may be bright yellow and red, or they may be paler with almost a peach color replacing the red, and cream instead of yellow. The leaves are lobed and rounded and are usually a greenish-gray. They resemble Early Meadow Rue leaves.

Once pollinated, seed capsules form. They are long and taper to a filament and once seeds are ripe the capsule will split open. Small, shiny, black seeds fall out and perhaps bounce on the soil. Wild Columbine spreads by reseeding itself. It may be a short-lived plant but it may also persist for years. Plants can mature to be quite large with 50+ blossoms per plant.

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Wild Columbine

height: 1-3 feet

bloom time: April-June

soil: medium

sun, full, partial, shade

plant spacing: 15”

flower: yellow, red

life cycle: perennial (possibly short-lived)

family: Ranunculaceae

seed source: Michigan

Sizes:

Wild Columbine is a fairly common plant of woodlands and woodland edges, throughout Michigan. It can also take full sun (though probably not preferred) and in this case the foliage is often dark purple or it can even be almost black. This plant does quite well in a regular garden setting.

The red on the flowers as well as the long spurs communicate about the pollinator! Ruby throated hummingbirds are the most common pollinator of these plants. As the hummingbird reaches with its long beak up into the nectary in the red spurs, its head will brush the exserted yellow stamens with their yellow anthers. Moving from flower to flower, pollination will occur. Small bees will crawl up into the spurs to get nectar and bumblebees will collect pollen from the many stamens. There are several insects that use the foliage of this plant. See Info below for more information.

Flowers are yellow at the bases and form five columns that lead up into the red spurs and five sepals (also red) alternate with the spurs. Flowers may be bright yellow and red, or they may be paler with almost a peach color replacing the red, and cream instead of yellow. The leaves are lobed and rounded and are usually a greenish-gray. They resemble Early Meadow Rue leaves.

Once pollinated, seed capsules form. They are long and taper to a filament and once seeds are ripe the capsule will split open. Small, shiny, black seeds fall out and perhaps bounce on the soil. Wild Columbine spreads by reseeding itself. It may be a short-lived plant but it may also persist for years. Plants can mature to be quite large with 50+ blossoms per plant.

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Wild Columbine

height: 1-3 feet

bloom time: April-June

soil: medium

sun, full, partial, shade

plant spacing: 15”

flower: yellow, red

life cycle: perennial (possibly short-lived)

family: Ranunculaceae

seed source: Michigan

From Illinois Wildflowers: “The larvae of various insects feed on Wild Columbine, including those of Erynnis lucilius (Columbine Duskywing), Papaipema leucostigma (Borer moth species), Pristophora aquilgae (Columbine Sawfly), and serveral Phytomyza spp. (Leaf Miner Flies).” If you find the leaves completely stripped from your plants, this will be the work of the Columbine sawfly.