Aquilegia vulgaris - Columbine, European columbine, Granny's Bonnet, European Crowfoot

Aquilegia vulgaris is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a medium rate. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from April to July, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.

Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Edible Uses

Flowers - raw. Rich in nectar, they are sweet and delightful, they make a very attractive addition to mixed salads and can also be used as a thirst-quenching munch in the garden. The rest of the plant is poisonous.

Teas

The flowers are also used as a tea substitute

Medicinal Uses

Columbine was formerly employed in herbal medicine mainly for its antiscorbutic effect, but it has fallen out of favour and is little used nowadays. Today it's grown as a beautiful cottage garden plant and to attract pollinating insects.

The leaves root and seed are astringent, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, parasiticide. Because of its toxic properties, this plant should not be taken internally without expert advice, though the root is sometimes used externally in poultices to treat ulcers and the commoner skin diseases.

The plant can be harvested at any time from June to October. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. It is used in the treatment of affections of the nervous system[

For more information you can visit the PFAF (plants for a future) website here.

1 Plant supplied in 1L pots