Aquilegia x caerulea 'Origami Blue & White'

[ height 15-18 in., flower blue and white in late spring, sun to part shade, clump former]

COLUMBINE Thrive in any normal garden soil that is preferably moist but not wet, and moderately sunny. Vigorous plants with elegant divided glaucous green foliage, and distinctively shaped flowers on wiry branching stems. Self sows. If grown in shade, bright shade produces better blooming. Mixed color cultivars contain a same color on a given plant. Hummingbirds are attracted to the nectar of the spurs. A. ‘Origami Blue & White’- Large blue sepals cradle the fused white petals of this native hybrid.  The fused petals form the familiar symmetrical petal tubes which extend out behind the flower into 1.5” spurs.  The flowers on the whole are comparatively quite large to other members of the genus.  Another favorable attribute is that the flowers face upward rather than nod, sparing the already back weary gardener the trouble of contortions in its admiration.  The nectar reserves of the Columbine are contained deep within the recesses of the spurs, making it inaccessible to all but the most proboscisly endowed.  One such group of moths is the sphinx moth family (Sphingidae) of which the familiar clear-wing hummingbird moth is a member.