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100+ Aquilegia "McKana Giants"

Perennial Cottage Garden 

Flower Seeds

Organically Grown in Country Western Australia

We Post to All States

(Except Tasmania Due to Quarantine Restrictions)

Description

Aquilegia is a Perennial herb, with woody, erect stock, roots forming thick rhizomes.

The basal leaves are compound, 1–3 ternate, blades 3-lobed -partite, and lobes lobulate and obtuse. 

The cauline leaves are similar to the basal ones, while the upper ones are bract like.

The hermaphrodite (bisexual) flowers are terminal to stem and branches.

They are usually pentamerous (with five spreading perianth petaloid sepal segments).

Five tubular honey-leaves are semi erect with a flat limb and spurred or saccate at the base.

The spur is directed backwards and secretes nectar.

Stamens are numerous (often more than 50) in whorls of 5, the innermost being scarious staminodes.

There are ten membranaceous intrastaminal scales.

There are five pistils and the Carpels are free.

The fruit has several (five to 15) follicles which are semi erect and slightly connate downwards. These hold many seeds and are formed at the end of the pistils. The nectar is mainly consumed by long-beaked birds such as hummingbirds. Almost all Aquilegia species have a ring of staminodia around the base of the stigma, which may help protect against insects.

Columbine is a hardy perennial, which propagates by seed.

It will grow to a height of 40–50 cm.

It will grow in full sun; however, it prefers growing in partial shade and well drained soil, and is able to tolerate average soils and dry soil conditions.

Columbine does not require mulching or protection in the winter.

Large numbers of hybrids are available for the garden, since the European A. vulgaris was hybridized with other European and North American varieties.

Aquilegia species will readily self-sow.