Today I found this beautiful little creature hidden in my container garden (Big smile)its just a simple Columbine that I mass planted last year. I planted all sorts of different seed varieties together so I have no Idea what this one is and it really doesnt matter to mebut what makes it special is that it is a reminder to me of Colorados State flower home.
Columbine's are beautiful plants, although the pink ones I had growing here all where afflicted with those nasty leaf miners last year and not a one came back this year:(
Speaking of leaf miners my poor little lemon tree that was doing so beautifully has been attacked by Citrus leaf miners... : (
the leaf minors really just make the columbine look bad...they don't hurt it...it you cut the foliage back it will flush again.
None came back this year because of leaf minors. They did manage to flower beautifully last year but with only a few leaves on each plant, and a few had none at all, just flowers! They really looked pitiful! I doubt I'll get anymore now.
I doubt it was becasue of the leaf minors. Columbines are usually not long lived perennials at an rate. They reseed alot. I think you most likely have another problem that caused them not to return.
The Columbines (granny bonnets) come up here every year as a perrenial. The year of our big bush fires in 1983 one of the most glorious sights I remember was the elderly neighbours garden 2 doors over. The house was gone and many of her beautiful rhodo and camellia collection did not survive but every where the following spring every colour combination possible, there were Columbines. I had never taken much notice of them before that but they are a favourite around here now along with the forget-me- nots and daffs. I have a deep purple one I rescued from this lady's garden via seed and it is still going strong here many hundreds of miles away years later. Liz
Yea Columbines are lovely plants,even the foliage is attractive. There used to be some fancy ones in my mom's garden but the following year they were replaced by plain ones without the 'tails'
The leaf minors are the only problem I saw, so if it there was another reason for a no show, I sure don't know what it was. I bought a couple new hostas and a couple peonies to ease the pain, lol.
columbines to me are a very lovely, victorian plant. I have them in the garden with my bleeding hearts and such, as they like the same environment. I did however have a question. Are we supposed to deadhead them so they bloom again or let the seed pods form, so they can reseed themselves. I love them, and if they wanted to take over, I certainly wouldn't stop them.
Yes you can let them seed themselves and spread,but if its one of the fancy hybrids then they won't come true to type. The new plants will be like the wild plant,pink with shorter tails.
I just let mine seed. I also have my plants come back every year as perennials. Not sure if this happens in the colder climates but here they just reshoot and get to be a bigger clump the next year. That was the strange thing Greenlarry about the columbines that came up after te fires. I always thought they were seeds but maybe they were the plants that survived because the colours were extraordinary in their variety. Liz
yeah you're right Greenlarry, the ones I had from last year, don't have the tails, but they are still lovely and graceful. I'm glad they like to stick around in my garden. I should however purchase more just for the tails. LOL Thanks again.
For anyone who wants some, I am happy to send out a packet of columbine seed ... I have a bunch of mixed up variety seed from six different colors and types and am more than happy to share ... anyone interested should contact me privately though. I have plenty to go around and they are from last year ... stratified and ready to go ... I planted a bunch here but have a bunch left over. It might not be too late in warmer areas to see some pop up and give you a few flowers! Peace ~ Ang
lots of info on columbines thank you. i was looking for information on cutting the columbines back after they are finished blooming. i hope some seed scattered already in the flower garden. they are now with their leaves turning gray and i was hoping to cut them back so the hostas will show better... charlie
If the seed heads were dry they have scattered. Cut away. We have our first blossom tree out and are half way through winter?????????????? It is at least 6 weeks early. Liz
