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Herbaceous Perennial

Aquilegia bertolonii
  • RHS AGM
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

Bertoloni columbine

A perennial to 30cm, with much divided basal leaves and erect stems bearing up to four nodding, violet-blue flowers with wide-spreading sepals and short, straight or hooked spurs

Synonyms
Aquilegia reuteri
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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Blue Green
Summer Blue Green
Autumn
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or North–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Ranunculaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus

Aquilegia are clump-forming herbaceous perennials with long-stalked, ternately divided basal leaves and erect, leafy stems bearing bell-shaped flowers with spreading, coloured sepals and petals with spurs, on branched stems

Name status

Correct

Plant range
SE France, NW Italy

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe or in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Rock garden
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Flower borders and beds
Pruning

Cut back foliage affected by fungal diseases

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, leaf miners, sawflies and caterpillars

Diseases

May be infected by powdery mildews and aquilegia downy mildew

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