Operation
NICE! plant of the season
Spring 2006
Perennial: Yellow Columbine, Texas Gold
Columbine, Hinckley’s Yellow Columbine (Aquilegia hinckleyana)
Photo by Lon Turnbull.
Description: There are 3 species of native
Yellow Columbine in Texas, however A. hinckleyana is most available in
nurseries. Yellow Columbine is a small to medium perennial
plant found in mossy areas of West Texas. When not in bloom,
its soft lacy foliage is 8 to 16 inches high. Each leaf has
three lobed leaflets. When flowering, it sends up airy 1 to 3 foot
stalks, which open to reveal yellow to pale yellow blooms that seem to
float above the foliage. The five petals are elongated into
knob-tipped spurs. Like other columbines, it is a nectar
source for hummingbirds and butterflies.
Blooms: March through May, with occasional
blooms in the summer if grown in shade.
Planting sites:
Plant in full, dappled, or partial shade. This
plant likes moist, but well-drained soil and will grow best in soil
that has been amended with organic matter like compost. Allow
about 12-16 inches between plants. After planting, water well
and mulch. The plant will spread by self-sowing or
re-seeding, but expect the parent plant to last at least several years.
Watering Instructions:
Yellow Columbine should be watered once a week until well
established. During a summer drought, or after a hard winter
freeze, the plant will become dormant. However, it will
recover when growing conditions improve. But do not over
water or it may rot.
Comments: This is an interesting and beautiful
ornamental plant for a shade garden. Use Yellow Columbine
instead of geraniums or begonias, which require more frequent watering.
Look for the NICE! Plant of the Season signs and information sheets on
your next visit to a participating
North Texas nursery. Thank
you for using native plants in your landscapes.
Written by: Dr. Rebecca Dickstein, Professor of Biology, University of
North Texas.
Return to Home page
Last noted update by
Lon: September 21, 2007.