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Aquilegia canadensis | Eastern red columbine

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$8.99
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$8.99
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order now for FALL 2025 shipping or pickup

Grown from seed in living soil without the use of pesticides, chemicals, or carbon fuels.


Columbine or Granny's Bonnet is a traditional English cottage garden plant. It is best known for its flowers, which are long lasting and lovely, but we grow it for its foliage. The glaucous scalloped leaves are extremely decorative and look fresh from early spring through late fall.

Very easy to grow. Prefers humus rich soil in light shade, but it is not overly particular. Deer and rabbit resistant.

Eastern red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is our native columbine that can be found growing in woods, rocky slopes, and open areas throughout eastern North America. The delicate red and yellow blooms light up the spring. Early hummingbirds adore the bright blooms. Deer and rabbit do not. 

WARNING: mildly poisonous to livestock. Contact with sap may cause dermatitis.

Zones: 3 to 8
Family: Ranunculaceae
Type: Perennial
Height: 24 to 36 in.
Spread: 12 to 18 in
Exposure: full sun, part-shade
Soil Conditions: well-drained, average
Bloom Time: April to May
Native Range: eastern North America

Special Characteristics
  • dry shade tolerant
  • Rabbit resistant
  • Self-seeder
  • Deer-resistant
  • Drought resistant
image credits

RagesossCC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ghislain118 (AD) http://www.fleurs-des-montagnes.netCC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Laval University CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Aquilegia canadensis | Eastern red columbine
Aquilegia canadensis | Eastern red columbine
Aquilegia canadensis | Eastern red columbine

Ordering information

Preorders

You may place your order anytime to reserve plants for fall 2025 shipment. If you place multiple orders, we will combine plants into one box (or as many as needed) and any extra shipping charges will be refunded.

We will resume shipping plants as soon as temperatures cool in our location and yours.

We will check in with you a week before shipping to make sure you receive your plants at a time that is convenient for you.

Shipping

Live plants ship in spring and fall only. Plants may ship dormant, depending on variety and season. Shipping costs are most reasonable when bundling like size plants.

  • 4-inch: 1-6 plants ship for $15.00 / 7-13 plants ship for $18.00 / 14-30 plants ship for $40.00
  • 1-gal: 1-2 plants ship for $18.00 / 3-4 plants ship for $25.00 / 5-6 plants ship for $40.00
  • trees & shrubs: $27.00-$40.00 each, height dependent
  • seeds: $6.75 or free with orders over $15.00

We regret that we cannot ship internationally or to the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, or WA.

Read more about our shipping policies here.

Nursery pick up

Plants can be collected from the nursery Monday through Sunday from 10am-4pm in Spring, Summer, and Fall. We prefer 24 hour notice to get your order together and will email you when ready for collection.

Plant Sizes

We most commonly use the following pot sizes for perennials:

  • 4-inch pot: 3.5" H x 3.5" W x 3.5" D
  • 2-quart pot: 6" H x 5.25" W x 5.25" D
  • 1-gallon pot: 6.87" H x 8" Dia (this is a true one gallon pot, not the smaller 'trade' one gallon pot used by many nurseries)

Check out our illustrated pot size guide here.

Representative trees & shrubs are photographed in their pots and posted on each plant page.

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do at The Old Dairy. We grow all of our plants outdoors without the use of chemicals, fertilizers, carbon fuels, or peat.

Many of our perennials are grown in the ground and dug upon order (this is especially true for larger sizes). This practice allows us to grow stronger, healthier plants using native soil, and ultimately reduces our impact on the environment.

Our open-pollinated seeds are collected from plants in our mother beds, which have never been treated with chemicals or sprays of any kind.

Read all about our sustainable practices here.

Aquilegia canadensis seedlings at The Old Dairy NurseryAquilegia canadensis seedlings at The Old Dairy Nursery

view this plant in our garden

Aquilegia canadensis | Eastern red columbine |

seedling image

Aquilegia canadensis | Eastern red columbine

We are slowly creating a seedling image library to help make weeding easier.
Aquilegia canadensis seedlings at The Old Dairy NurseryAquilegia canadensis seedlings at The Old Dairy Nursery