Last Native Plants Series post of 2020!
Let me know in the comments below if there are any native plants you would like to see highlighted in 2021!
Red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is native to much of the Midwest and Eastern US and Canada. Here in South Central PA they support 12 species of butterfly and moth caterpillars. Red columbine is easily grown in sun to part shade, and prefers rich, moist soils, but will tolerate a wide range of soil conditions. It will self-seed around your garden, so be careful when weeding as the tiny new plants can look very similar to clover if you don't look closely enough! It has red and yellow trumpet-shaped flowers, and may rebloom for you if you remove the first flower stems when they're done. The delicate foliage may die back to the ground in the summer heat.
Sources: National Wildlife Federation, USDA Native Plants Database, Missouri Botanical Garden
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