Common columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) organic seeds
- Beautifully blooming, rare wild plant. Since the Middle Ages planted in European gardens as a decorative plant. Since then, many varieties have emerged.
- Contents: Approx. 200 seeds
- Open-pollinated variety, seed tested regularly
€2.99
Description
Historically, the plant has been used as a remedy for scurvy but it plays only a minor role in current herbal medicine since parts of the plant contain slightly poisonous alkaloids. Regardless of its medicinal effect, however, it is very suitable as a tea plant, since its sweet flowers taste outstanding in herbal teas.
In European mythology, the columbine has alleged the ability to enhance love charms, and it was used in magic amulets. Its seeds were added to aphrodisiac perfumes and supposedly even chewed by courtesans at royal courts all over Europe. In ancient Rome, the vestal priestesses were not allowed to even approach the plant.
Plant profile
| Lifecycle | Perennial |
|---|---|
| Species | Ranunculaceae |
| Characteristics | Food for bees, Needs cold to germinate, Needs light to germinate, Poisonous plant, Very resistant to slugs and snails |
| Eventual height | 40-80 cm |
| Flower colour | Blue |
| Flowering months | July, June, May |
| Root system | Rhizome |
Growing instructions
| When to sow outdoors | November, October, September |
|---|---|
| Sowing depth | 0.5 cm |
| Germination temperature | 15-20°C |
| Germination time | 2-6 weeks |
| Sunlight | Full sun, Shade |
| Planting distance | 30 cm |
| Row spacing | 30 cm |
Sowing and care
Sowing & Care
Columbine is a cold germinator. For reliable germination, a cold treatment of 3 to 4 weeks at 2 to 5 °C is recommended, for example in the refrigerator in slightly moist sand or substrate. Alternatively, seeds can be sown directly outdoors in autumn, so that the natural winter cold takes care of the stratification.
After the cold phase, cover the seeds only thinly with soil or press them in lightly, as they are light germinators. At temperatures of 15 to 20 °C, germination usually takes place within 3 to 6 weeks. Keep the substrate evenly moist but not wet.
Indoor pre-cultivation is possible from February to March after the cold treatment. Direct sowing in the bed is ideally done in autumn.
The best location is partial shade, but it can also thrive in full sun if the soil is humus-rich and well-drained. It tolerates sandy and loamy soils well and needs a good water supply, but does not tolerate waterlogging. Once established, it is hardy.
This wild plant readily spreads by self-seeding.
Other names
Botanical name: Aquilegia vulgaris
German: Wald-Akelei, Taubenblume, Tauberln, Fünf Vögerl zusamm, Elfenhandschuh, Frauenhandschuh, Kapuzinerhütli, Pfaffenkäpple, Venuswagen, Schlotterhose
English: European columbine, Common columbine, Granny's nightcap, Granny's bonnet
French: Ancolie commune
Italian: Aquilegia commune
Spanish: Aguileña común
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