Digging deeperPlant Library

Other Names:  Granny's Bonnet, Crowfoot

Group/Class:  Songbird Series

Description:

Dainty, nodding, bell-shaped, yellow flowers on a compact, many-branched plant; makes a welcome addition to shade and woodland gardens

Ornamental Features

Songbird Goldfinch Columbine is smothered in stunning nodding yellow bell-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its lobed compound leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Songbird Goldfinch Columbine is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects

Songbird Goldfinch Columbine is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Songbird Goldfinch Columbine will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 10 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Songbird Goldfinch Columbine is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.