Aquilegia formosa - Red Columbine

Red Columbine is a graceful, shade-tolerant perennial with nodding, red and yellow, lantern-like flowers that bloom from late spring into early summer. Its delicate, lacy green foliage forms a soft, airy mound, adding texture and charm to woodland gardens, shaded borders, and naturalized plantings. The long-spurred flowers are rich in nectar and especially attractive to hummingbirds, native bees, butterflies, and moths.

Thriving in well-drained soils, Red Columbine self-seeds lightly without becoming aggressive, allowing it to naturalize gently in a range of garden settings. Like other columbines, it contains cyanogenic glycosides, which make its foliage unpalatable to most herbivores and contribute to its resilience in unfenced areas.