Earlybird™ Purple Blue Columbine

Springtime royalty, the delightful Earlybird™ Purple Blue Columbine (Aquilegia caerulea 'Earlybird Purple Blue') is a regal little herald of spring that brings rich color and whimsical form to your flower beds! This perennial beauty flaunts outward-facing, violet-purple sepals that surround a soft blue corolla and creamy white center.

With an early bloom time and compact form, this hybrid Columbine is a must-have for fans of pollinator plants, cool-season color, and cottage-style charm. It blooms in mid-spring to early summer and often reblooms in cooler climates!

Growing just under a foot tall and equally wide, this herbaceous perennial forms a tidy, mounded clump of delicate, ferny blue-green foliage. The blooms rise gracefully above the foliage, held aloft on strong, wiry stems that sway gently in the breeze. After flowering, the plant forms decorative seed pods if left untrimmed. The leaves may go dormant in heat but regrow again when cooler temps return.

Native to parts of North America, Columbines have long symbolized wisdom, strength, and faith. The Earlybird™ series is specially bred for compact size, earliness, and colorful performance.

Key Features

• Outward-facing purple and blue blooms with white centers
• Compact and tidy growth habit under 12 inches tall and wide
• Early to bloom in spring and may rebloom
• Attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies
• Resistant to deer and rabbits
• Cold-hardy perennial for zones 3-9

Landscaping Uses

Perfect for the front of your border or tucked into dappled shade, this 9-12 inch tall perennial brings saturated color and storybook charm wherever it's planted. A favorite of hummingbirds and bumblebees, it's resistant to deer and rabbits and ideal for woodland edges, shade gardens, and high-altitude landscapes.

• Border and edging plant for part shade gardens
• Add to a pollinator or hummingbird garden
• Ideal for children's gardens, cut flower borders, and cottage gardens
• Tuck into spring container combos
• Plant in a naturalized woodland setting
• Great in a rock garden or slope for visual pop

Mix and match with other Earlybird™ Columbines like Yellow or Earlybird™ Red for a colorful spring garden!

Care and Maintenance

Hardy in USDA growing zones 3 through 9, this variety thrives in cooler climates and tolerates part shade to full sun. This Aquilegia hybrid is an herbaceous perennial, meaning it dies back in fall and reemerges stronger each spring. It's relatively low maintenance, and drought-tolerant once established, and prefers cooler climates or filtered sun in hotter zones. Sometimes it goes dormant during the summer heat and during prolonged drought.

• Planting Time: Early spring or fall. Read more on planting Columbines here!
• Sun Needs: Full sun in cool climates; afternoon shade in warmer zones
• Soil Needs: Well-drained, humus-rich soil; tolerates clay if amended
• Moisture Needs: Medium; water regularly during the first season, drought-tolerant after
• Arborist Mulch: A 3-4 inch layer of arborist mulch helps keep roots cool and moist
• Fertilization Needs: Compost or balanced slow-release fertilizer in early spring
• Pruning Info: Deadhead spent flowers to encourage rebloom
• Division Info: Divide clumps every 3-4 years in early spring or fall
• Renewal Pruning: Trim foliage back in late summer if it declines
• Special Needs/Perks/Growing Tips and Tricks for Success: Deer and rabbit resistant; attracts pollinators; does best in cooler climates; protect from hot afternoon sun