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Fan Columbine Wikimedia Commons
Ranunculaceae

Fan Columbine

Aquilegia flabellata

Elegance and grace.

Family
Ranunculaceae
Genus
Aquilegia
Native to
Japan, Korea
Bloom season
Spring
Type
perennial herb
Height
0.5-1.5 ft
Sunlight
part shade to full sun
Soil
moist, well-drained, gritty
Water
moderate
Hardiness
3-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The species name 'flabellata' means fan-shaped, referring to the distinctive rounded, fan-like leaflets.
  • Fan columbine is naturally compact and makes an ideal rock garden plant, rarely exceeding 12 inches tall.
  • The variety 'Nana Alba' is a prized pure white dwarf form that has won the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit.
  • Japanese alpine populations grow at elevations above 8,000 feet, developing an especially compact form.
  • Unlike many columbines that freely hybridize, fan columbine maintains genetic purity because its short spurs attract different pollinators than long-spurred species.

Color meanings

0

aspiration

1

gracefulness

Uses

  • rock gardens
  • alpine gardens
  • container gardens
  • woodland edges