Are you searching for flowers that attract hummingbirds or reliable perennial shade flowers? Take a closer look at growing columbine — a lovely, low-maintenance choice for many gardens.
Growing Columbine
Rather than sharing a handful of random garden photos this season, I’m focusing on a single plant each week. This week’s star is columbine. If you don’t already grow columbine, it’s worth adding to your beds and borders.
Flowers That Attract Hummingbirds
Columbine stands out not only for its delicate, nodding blooms but also for its ability to attract hummingbirds. These birds prefer bright, tubular flowers, and many columbine varieties fit the bill. Watching hummingbirds visit the blossoms is one of the small joys of a wildlife-friendly garden.
Shade-Tolerant Perennial Flower
In the wild, columbine grows naturally in woodlands and mountain meadows, so it performs well in dappled shade and light-filtered locations. Planted along the edge of a wooded area or in a partly shaded border, columbine provides color where many sun-loving plants struggle.
Collect Your Columbine Seeds
Columbine typically blooms in spring through early summer, then produces seeds as the flowers fade. Allowing seed pods to dry on the plant and collecting them in late summer or fall is an easy way to expand your planting. Columbine seeds are tiny and black, similar in size to flax seeds. If you save seeds for sowing, store them until autumn or sow them outdoors in fall; they require a cold period to break dormancy and germinate reliably.
Columbine – Gorgeous Flowers and Easy to Grow
Columbine combines attractive flowers, wildlife value, and adaptability. It tolerates partial shade, reseeds readily if allowed, and brings both color and movement to shady spots. For gardeners looking for an easy, appealing perennial that invites hummingbirds, columbine is a top choice.