Aquilegia aka Columbine

Aquilegia, also known as granny's bonnet or columbine, is a genus of about 60-70 species of perennial plants. These plants can be found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They are known for their unique flowers with spurred petals. Aquilegia plants are short-lived and clump-forming, growing up to 60cm tall. They have blue-green, divided foliage that forms a basal mound. The flowers, which bloom from early spring into summer, are large and face outward or upward. They have mid-length spurs and come in a variety of colors including white, yellow, and bicolours with shades of red, pink, and purple. Aquilegia plants are perennial herbs with woody, erect stocks and thick rhizomes. The basal leaves are compound and 1-3 ternate, with lobulate and obtuse lobes. The cauline leaves resemble the basal ones, while the upper leaves are bract-like.