Hi all,
Columbines are so easy to collect seeds from that most of us probably already know how it's done. Anyway, while searching for info on a completely different gardening subject, I came across this informative article. I decided it was worth posting the link for anyone wanting more info on Columbine seeds.
It has nice clear photos along with a simple, easy-to-understand short video which may be interesting to both newbies and experienced seed collectors alike.
Enjoy!
http://mrbrownthumb.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-collect-columbine-flower-seeds.html
This message was edited Jun 13, 2014 9:58 PM
Collecting Columbine (Aquilegia) Seeds - Video & pictures.
I have TONS of volunteer columbines due to me collecting and scattering the seeds. I love them, they're quite great. This year I had a volunteer grow in a rock crevice next to the driveway and it's actually been doing great. I'm leaving it there and maybe next year it will bloom...Lol It's even in full sun and still happy.
Yeah, me too, Cindy.
Sequoiadendron4, That's so cool about the one in the rock crevice! Do you have any pictures?
I, also love to scatter the seeds. I don't even bother to collect them. I just take the dried pods and pour the seeds around the bed, then crunch the seed heads in my hand to get any remaining seeds.
This year was especially good for my Native Columbines (Aquilegia Canadensis). I started with only one plant about 4 years ago, but very few volunteers came up until this year when they were everywhere...yay! It's a hummingbird favorite because of the way the flowers hang down.
No pics of the crevice columbine. If I can remember I'll snap a pic with my phone when I get home tonight.
Jacob's ladder seeds just like columbine. I had one JL plant last year and let it all go to and then shook the seed heads around. The parent plant died over the winter but I have 100s of volunteers. Hopefully next year they will all be blooming.
This message was edited Jun 16, 2014 10:31 AM
I didn't realize that about Jacob's Ladder. I have a variegated one that I love. It has gotten bigger each year, but I never collected any of the seeds. Happily, I haven't deadheaded the flowers this year so maybe I'll try leaving the seed heads to dry. Thanks for that info.
I didn't know either until I tried :)
I got a pic of the crevice columbine volunteer and a pic of the polemonium volunteers.
Your rock crevice Columbine is beautiful! It looks like you planned it that way.
That's a lot of Polemoniums. It's going to be lovely when they all bloom, but I really love the delicate-looking foliage, even when they're not in bloom.
Yeah they do look really nice. I hope they all come back and bloom next year, that would be killer. I don't even know how the columbine go there. I must have dropped a seed or something. All the parent columbines are on the other side of the house. I did bring up seeds last year and scattered them about in a bed 15' from this location so maybe I dropped one.