Each flower has five petals individually shaped into a forward facing tube with a long nectar spur extending backwards. The flowers typically nod, hanging gently face down, spurs upright, but many of the newer species have upright blossoms. The different species and hybrids each have their own color combinations.

Although nearly 80 species are spread across the northern temperate zone, none are found near or south of the equator. The Aquilegia's I describe here are short lived perennials that reseed and all are hardy (most to zone 3). They grow in full sunshine to part shade and prefer well drained soil. Generally most species and cultivars can be counted on for three years, longer with better drainage.

The native Aquilegia canadensis, known variously as red columbine, Canadian columbine, meeting houses and even "honeysuckle," has red and yellow blooms that most of us would recognize immediately. The plant stands upright to perhaps 3 feet while its flowers are an inch and a half long, including spurs. Many hybrids have been developed, enlarging the flower and varying the color. However, the hybrids are generally more susceptible to leaf miner.

The rocky mountain or Colorado blue columbine, Aquilegia caerulea, is the only western columbine I've seen in the wild. My visit occurred in midsummer when only scattered reblooming could be expected. I've read that a meadow of these blue and white beauties is a stunning display but I only saw one bloom and it was impressive enough: the state flower of Colorado has blooms 2-3 inches across that I could look straight into. The spurs are straight and the flower is upright, not nodding, suggesting that the species is pollinated by night flying moths.

The common columbine of Europe, Aquilegia vulgaris, is entirely blue. Also called granny's bonnet, it has been long cultivated and hybridized, so much so there may be few garden specimens that are actually pure. The spurs are generally short and curved, making the plant more bonnet-like.