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Herbaceous Perennial

Aquilegia 'Bluebird' (Songbird Series)
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

columbine 'Bluebird'

An upright perennial with divided, grey-green leaves and slightly nodding flowers with spreading, dark-tipped, light blue sepals and white petals with straight, blue spurs

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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
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Blue White Green
Summer Blue White Green
Autumn
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

East–facing or South–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Ranunculaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
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

Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

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

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in spring, late summer or early autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Pruning

Cut back after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids

Diseases

Susceptible to powdery mildews and aquilegia downy mildew

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