This week: Red Columbine Wins Hearts
Hello!
When you picture a Columbine flower, you probably envision a blue-colored Rocky Mountain Columbine (Aquilegia coerulea). Eastern North American has its own Columbine — Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). And as its common name suggests, the flower is red with some yellow instead of blue.
In the wild, this delicate-looking spring bloomer lives in shady woodlands and dry, rocky areas, where hummingbirds and bees pollinate it. The perennial is short-lived, with individual plants only lasting three to five years. But it freely reseeds, so patches of it persist for much longer, especially in thin, rocky soils. This plant may die out quickly in rich soils, so it sometimes vanishes from well-mulched home gardens.
Red Columbine was used medicinally by Native Americans for headaches, fevers, poison ivy itches, and stomach troubles, to name a few. But more interestingly, the Meskwaki, Omaha, Pawnee, and Ponca used it for love medicine. Omaha and Ponca bachelors would even apply a paste made of the seeds as a perfume. That sounds safe enough to try at home if you’re looking for a lady love!
Elsewhere:
No mow May? Not so fast. This article from The Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State University explains why this social media fad, which began in the UK, doesn’t help and can even harm North American ecosystems. They also make suggestions for what to do instead. Happy reading!
Have a good week,
Julie