Aquilegia buergeriana

Aquilegia buergeriana is a perennial, a plant that lives for years. It belongs to the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. It comes from Japan, where it grows on Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. Its home has a temperate climate, and it sheds its leaves with the seasons. The RHS lists Aquilegia atropurpurea as another name for it. It forms tight clumps and does not grow woody branches.

Split green leaves form a low, neat mound. Thin stems rise above the leaves and hold the blooms upright. The RHS describes plants about 2 feet [0.6 metres] tall. Its broader garden height range is 1.6–3.3 feet [0.5–1 metre]. Its spread is 0.3–1.6 feet [0.1–0.5 metres]. Plants reach full size in two to five years. The flowers bloom in May and June. They mix red-purple with cream-yellow. Both colours stand out above the green leaves.

Grow it in rich soil that drains well but stays moist. It accepts full sun or part shade. It can grow in clay, loam, sand, or chalk. Soil can be acid, neutral, or alkaline. Its listed growing sites include both open and sheltered spots. The RHS gives it a UK hardiness rating of H7. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 6–9. Each source uses its own rating system.

Use it in flower beds, informal borders, or rock gardens. It suits woodland edges and spots with dappled shade, too. The RHS suggests growing it beneath roses and shrubs. Its listed uses include wildlife gardens and cut flowers. Grow new plants from seed or by dividing clumps. Plants also shed seeds that grow with ease. They need no routine pruning. Cutting back after bloom may help new leaves grow. Give plants good watering with this care. Aphids, aquilegia sawfly, and leaf miners may attack them. They may get powdery mildew or aquilegia downy mildew. Fungal leaf spot is another possible disease.

Plants For A Future lists raw flowers as edible. It also lists cooked leaves as edible. It calls the nectar-rich flowers sweet and fit for salads. Yet it urges care: related plants can be mildly toxic. It cites no confirmed records of toxicity for this species. This does not prove that every part is safe. The same source notes the use of seeds against head lice. It lists no known medicinal uses and gives no treatment guidance.