common columbine
Aquilegia vulgaris
Its genus name, Aquilegia, comes from the Latin word for eagle, referring to the spur-like petals that resemble an eagle's talons.
- Scientific name
- Aquilegia vulgaris
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Ranunculales › Ranunculaceae › Aquilegia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, forest edges, meadows, and calcareous grasslands.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis, drawing nutrients and water from the soil).
- Range
- Europe, Western Asia, North America (introduced)
- Size
- 30-90 cm tall, with a spread of 30-45 cm
- Lifespan
- 3-5 years (short-lived perennial)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, agricultural intensification, and hybridization with escaped domestic garden cultivars.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch and safe to admire from any distance. However, all parts of the plant are mildly toxic if ingested due to cardiogenic toxins. Do not consume, and keep pets away. If ingested, monitor for symptoms and seek medical or veterinary attention if necessary.
Aquilegia vulgaris ( European columbine , common columbine , granny's nightcap , granny's bonnet ) is a species of columbine native to Europe. It is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant growing to 1.2 m tall, with branched, thinly hairy stems. The leaves are biternate; each leaf has three groups of three leaflets. The flowers, in various shades of purple, blue, pink and white, are pendent or horizontal with hooked spurs, and appear in early summer.
Photo: Jon Sullivan, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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