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Herbaceous Perennial

Aquilegia fragrans

sweet-scented columbine

An upright perennial to around 40cm high, with deeply lobed and divided blue-green basal leaves. Slender stems bear scented, nodding flowers high above the foliage in spring; flowers have white spurs and sepals sometimes flushed with pale purple, and cream or pale yellow inner petals

Synonyms

Aquilegia glauca

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Ranunculaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: 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

How to grow

Cultivation

Thrives in rich, fertile, consistently moist soil in sun or part shade; dislikes heavy clay. See aquilegia cultivation for more detailed advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed, though self-seeded plants may not come true. Established plants can also be propagated by division in spring, but they dislike root disturbance and will be slow to recover

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Wildflower meadow
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds
Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Cut foliage back to the ground as it fades

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, aquilegia gall midge, aquilegia sawfly and caterpillars

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews and aquilegia downy mildew

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