There are certain flowers that I call “happy” flowers because of their characteristics. Columbine falls into this category with its carefree and light nature. Growing up, I sought seek these flowers out when walking on wooded nature trails or just walking along a roadside.
They were easy to spot with their hanging red lanterns of spurred blooms. Their dainty delights floating in the wind can do nothing else but make you smile. Columbines grow well in nature where they are offered semi shade and well-drained soils.
They can also grow in full sun or deep shade, but their best colors are displayed with dappled light. The wild ones in our area are typically in the shade of red but in other parts of the country can come in numerous other shades. Since they develop a taproot, once established these perennials tend to be very drought tolerant and are used often in xeriscapes or dry landscapes.
Once mature, they grow to heights of 1 to 3 feet depending on the selection planted. When they first emerge in spring, they resemble a large clump with clover-like leaves. As they age, these leaves resemble the meadow rue more often.
In late May, flower stems arise from the center to produce numerous pointed flower buds on thin stems. As the buds open, they produce a flower with a central round cup surrounded by five larger petals which each contain a long spur on the back. The flowers hang upside down from these thin stems to dance in the air on a breezy day.
Typically in the color of red.
