Aquilegia
Aquilegia
Aquilegia (Aquilegia vulgaris, Ranunculaceae) is a very beautiful ornamental plant native to southern Europe. We find it in many regions of Greece, from Crete to Macedonia, beautifying the Greek nature with its wonderful flowers. Aquilegia is a genus of over 20 perennial plants and belongs to the Ranunculaceae family.
In our country it is cultivated as a perennial plant and the most widespread species is Aquilegia vulgaris. We meet her under the names Colombina and Bride of the Hills. It is a plant that is also used for scavenging.
Aquilegia belongs to the Ranunculaceae family and includes over twenty perennial plants. There are dwarf varieties up to 20cm and bushy varieties up to 1.20cm. In Greece, Aquilegia is cultivated as a perennial plant, mainly the vulgaris variety. The flowers are impressive. Columbine produces double flowers in a variety of shades of red, violet white and striking blue that rise up to 30cm higher than the foliage. The flowering period is from June to October.
It is a plant that is grown in neutral-alkaline, light, sandy, compost-rich and very well-drained soils with a pH range of 5.5 – 7. The soil must not retain water and have good ventilation, otherwise the plant will dry out. Aquilegia shows a relatively fast growth rate.