Wild Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Nodding red-and-gold lanterns that greet the first spring hummingbirds at a woodland edge.

the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwestthe Great Plains

Growing Wild Columbine

Thrives in dry shade and rocky ledges where little else will. Self-sows gently; let a few seedlings stand to keep the colony going. It’s deer-resistant, easy to grow, and showy.

Where it grows

Wild Columbine is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa and 32 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.

Regional Garden shows Wild Columbine on 42 state pages.

Good for

Pollinators For bees Hummingbirds Deer-resistant For shade Low-maintenance

Sourcing

Where to buy Wild Columbine

Seeds & live plants on Amazon

Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.

Browse on Amazon

Some links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.

Plant it with

Companions & kin.

Natives that share Wild Columbine’s range and conditions.

Perennial wildflower

Foxglove Beardtongue

Penstemon digitalis

Airy white bells in early summer, a bridge bloom between spring ephemerals and the summer prairie.

Full–part sun
Dry–average
2–4 ft
Blooms May–Jun

Spring ephemeral

Virginia Bluebells

Mertensia virginica

Pink buds opening to drifts of sky-blue bells, then vanishing underground by summer.

Part shade
Average–wet
1–2 ft
Blooms Mar–May

Shrub

New Jersey Tea

Ceanothus americanus

A compact, drought-proof shrub frothing with white flowers that pollinators and hummingbirds adore.

Full–part sun
Dry
2–3.5 ft
Blooms May–Jul

Perennial wildflower

Wild Bergamot

Monarda fistulosa

Ragged lavender crowns that hum with bees, hummingbirds, and clearwing moths; foliage smells of oregano.

Full–part sun
Dry–average
2–4 ft
Blooms Jun–Aug