Description
Aquilegia x hybrid | McKanas Giant ‘Periwinkle-Purple’ Columbine
Columbine, also known as ‘Granny’s Bonnet’ is an all time favorite garden and wildflower that can be found growing in woodlands and meadows. They are a hardy, herbaceous, short-lived perennial that’s easy to grow from seed and will tolerate a large range of soil and sun types, so will do well in full sun although they flower better with shade. The plants are early blooming, free flowering, well branched, drought tolerant and tough as nails. (Some columbines go dormant in the summer and will grow foliage again in the fall.) The plants will bloom during the second year from late spring to early summer. The petals of Columbine flowers are spurred, which is the major characteristic that sets them apart from other flowers. The leaves are fern-like and resemble that of Meadow Rue, and Clover.
McKanas Giant is a taller than usual columbine hybrid which features pastel-colored, long-spurred, extra large, nodding, bi-colored flowers in numerous color combos, but here we have collected seeds only from periwinkle blue/purple plants.
Seeds may require cold-stratification before sowing indoors, or one can direct-sow them outdoors in autumn or late winter/spring. Will gladly self sow in soil, gravel, under decks, etc.
Hummingbirds and bumblebees love them!
Type: Perennial
Sun exposure: Part shade to full sun
Mature height: 2-3 ft
Mature width: 18 inches
Hardiness zones: 3- 9
