35 of the Best Columbine Varieties for the Spring Garden

Columbine, Aquilegia, is a short-lived perennial wildflower in the Ranunculaceae, or buttercup family.

It thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9 in sunny to partially shaded locations and prefers moist soil of average quality that drains well.

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Ephemeral spring blossoms are noteworthy for their nectar-filled spurs, delectable hues, and striking bicolor combinations.

A darling of cottage gardens, there are about 70 species and an extensive array of cultivated hybrids from which to choose.

Flower heads range between one and four inches wide, with hybrid cultivars being the largest and native species the smallest.

In our guide to growing columbine, we share all you need to know to grow your own lovely plants.

This article is a roundup of 35 exceptional varieties to take your springtime landscape to new and colorful heights.

Here’s what we have in store:

35 Columbine Varieties to Love

Let’s take a look at these beauties!

A. vulgaris var. stellata Barlow Mix is a lighthearted pink, purple, red, white, and bicolor take on the darkly delicious ‘Black Barlow,’ described below.

The Barlow series features spurless, double blossoms that bob like confetti with their faces turned upward toward warm breezes.

Barlow Mix

A festival in every seed packet, these partygoers are the life of the garden party at 24 to 30 inches tall.

Barlow Mix is available from Eden Brothers in one-ounce and quarter-pound packages of seeds.

Aquilegia‘Biedermeier’ brings more guests to the celebration with a mix of whites, reds, purples, pinks, and bicolor blooms in pastel hues that cool and