The Columbine – in her
true blue presentation she is Colorado’s state flower, designated as such in April
of 1899. She is high born, gracefully cascading down the slopes of the Mighty
Rocky Mountains in a radiant stream of sunlit elegance. This little lady stands
in tribute to endurance and charm. Grown in some of the coolest regions of our
mountain range, she can tolerate a late freeze or snow. If you plant a bed with different shades of Columbine they will cross
pollinate, and the next season you will discover that they appear varied in
subtle and lovely ways.
Native to the rocky
earth of Colorado’s High Country they aren’t particular about soil. Amending
soil every season with organic compost helps to defend them against the one thing
they won’t experience in the Rocky Mountain spring – heat. It is advisable to
water this little wildflower with the same frequency as any perennial. Since
Columbine’s roots are neither invasive nor destructively tuberous it can be
grown near other plants and will not disturb their food and water supply.
It is generally
believed that the Columbine is a spring bloomer – sun to partial shade – this
information is found on seed packets and with containers of starter plants.
These instructions generally refer to life in the wild as opposed to home gardens.
Columbines can live in morning to early afternoon sun, and with proper
deadheading, watering and feed they bloom well into mid-summer.
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