Toxic Plant Known to be toxic - Toxic to humans and other mammals if ingested.
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image of Flowering plant
Aquilegia canadensis
Red columbine
Ancolie du Canada

Obsolete Names

  • American columbine
  • Canada columbine
  • wild red columbine
  • gants de Notre-Dame
No seeds available for this plant.

We are not accepting seeds for this plant at the moment.

Bloom colour: Red Bloom period: April - May
Max Height: 2.0 feet
Max Width: 1.5 feet
Light condition:
Full sun More than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Part shade More than 2 or 3 hours but less than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Full shade Less than 2 or 3 hours of direct sun a day
Soil conditions:
Moisture medium Tolerates medium soil condition
Lifespan : Perennial
Gardener Experience:
beginner friendly Suitable for beginner gardeners
does not spread Does not spread uncontrollably
plant germinate easy Easy to germinate
Landscape uses:
rock garden Suitable for rock gardens
rain garden Suitable for rain gardens
shoreline_rehab Suitable for shoreline rehabilitation
container suitable Suitable for container garden
school garden Suitable for school gardens
woodland garden Suitable for woodland gardens
Ecological Benefits:
Hummingbird friendly Supports hummingbirds
Bird friendly Supports birds
Pollinator garden Supports pollinators
butterfly host Butterfly host
keystones species Keystone species
Tolerates:
Salt Tolerant Tolerates salt conditions
Deer Resistant Deer resistant
rabbit resistant Rabbit resistant
limestone Tolerant Tolerates limestone conditions
sand Tolerant Tolerates sandy conditions
boulevard garden tolerant Tolerates boulevard garden conditions
juglone Tolerant Tolerates juglone conditions
transplantation Tolerant Tolerates transplantation

Plant Distribution

Native to Ottawa region: Yes

Distribution according to VASCAN

Distribution: Aquilegia canadensis
Ephemeral Native Introduced Excluded Extirpated Doubtful Absent
View taxonomy on Canadensys

View on iNaturalist

Thrives in Ecozones

  • Atlantic Maritime
  • ecozone-Pacific Maritime
  • Ecozone-Mixed Wood Plain
  • Ecozone-prairies
  • Ecozone-Montane Cordillera
  • Ecozone-Boreal Shield
  • Ecozone-Boreal_Plains
  • Atlantic_Maritime
  • Ecozone-Pacific_Maritime
  • Ecozone-Prairies

Butterflies Supported by Aquilegia canadensis

  • Erynnis lucilius (Columbine Duskywing)

Bees Supported by Aquilegia canadensis

No bee data available for this plant.

Complementary Plants Plants that grow in similar conditions, that bloom at the same time.

  • No complementary plants found.

Sowing Information

  • Sowing depth: Sow just below surface
  • Sow before February
  • Stratification duration: 60 days
  • Self-seeding

Harvesting Information

  • Harvesting indicator: Pods are brown and crisp and starting to open, seeds are dark and tiny stem attaching to the main stem is brown. Seeds easily fall off pod when shaken, and little stem connecting the pod to the main stem is brown (not green)
  • Harvesting mean: Cut stem (including pods), let air dry in paper bag, then shake seeds off after a few days
  • Seed Viability Test: No test needed before donating
  • Packaging Measure: Half of one, 1/32 teaspoon
  • Seed Storage: Air Dry in paper bag or open container, for a few days until crisp, shaking seeds to move them once in a while to prevent molding
  • On Cultivar: Yes, do not donate unless you know source, and there are no known cultivars in your garden or at proximity