Aquilegia Earlybird™ Mixture

Aquilegia Earlybird™ Mixture: A Whole Paint Box in One Pot

White, yellow, blue, purple, red and two-tone, all from one tray, like opening a box of crayons and getting the special edition. This columbine mix is a surprise party in every pot. NO TWO ALIKE.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Aquilegia hybrid
• Common Name: Columbine
• Series: Earlybird™, a PanAmerican Seed first-year-flowering columbine series
• Height: 23–28 cm (9–11 in)
• Spread: 20–25 cm (8–10 in)
• Flowers: Mixed colours from the series, including white, yellow, blue, purple, red and two-tone combinations, 5–8 cm (2–3 in) across
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May to July)
• Foliage: Soft, finely divided green leaves in a compact mound
• Features: Compact, good cut flower

Where to Plant: Plant several together for a confetti effect at the front of a border, in a cottage garden or in containers. They fill the gap between spring and summer bloom.

Companion Plants: Pair these mixed columbines with blue and violet flowers in a sunny or part-shade cottage bed. Polemonium 'Purple Rain' adds violet stars over dark leaves at 50 to 60 cm in June and July. Kalimeris 'Blue Star' brings light blue daisies at 30 to 45 cm from June to September. Delphinium Laser Beam™ rises behind at 60 to 75 cm with dark blue-purple spires from June to September. Calamagrostis Hello Spring!® stands at the back at 90 to 120 cm with cream-striped blades.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun or part sun in moist, well-drained soil. Afternoon shade helps the flowers last longer in hot weather. Avoid heavy, soggy soil, especially over winter. Water regularly through the first season. Deadhead to keep it tidy and encourage a few more flowers. If the leaves look tired or get marked by leaf miners in midsummer, cut them back and fresh foliage will follow. Like most columbines, individual plants are fairly short-lived, so a few new ones every few years keeps the show going.

History: The Earlybird™ series comes from PanAmerican Seed and was bred to need less winter chill than older columbines, so plants flower quickly and stay short and well branched, with upward-facing flowers. The genus name Aquilegia comes from the Latin word for eagle, a nod to the claw-like spurs.

Final Thoughts: Plant a cluster and let the colours sort themselves out. Hummingbirds and bees will show up hungry. MIX, MATCH AND NEVER APOLOGIZE.