Skip to product info
OUT OF STOCK
Ships in FALL

Serpentine Columbine

Aquilegia eximia

$15.99
$15.99 $19.99
per Plant - 5" Deep Pot
Sale | Save 20%
ZONES  4-10 | Good to grow! Zone
We're sorry, this product cannot ship to: Canada, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, US Virgin Islands, and Guam

Serpentine Columbine (Aquilegia eximia) is an exceptional Columbine species with huge, downward facing orange and yellow flowers that bloom for many months beginning in late spring.

Videos
    &nbs

More Like This

Description

36-60" tall x 15-18" wide. Serpentine Columbine (Aquilegia eximia) is an uncommon CA native, with huge, downward facing orange and yellow flowers that bloom for many months beginning in late spring. An exceptional Columbine, Aquilegia eximia (also known as King’s Crown Columbine) can be quite tall and is a good choice for planting in shade and semi-shade beds. A vigorous re-seeder, use Serpentine Columbine to naturalize the shady areas of your landscape. Enjoys moisture and alkaline soils.

Planting & Care

Growing Aquilegia (Columbine)
Aquilegia (Columbine) are native, shade loving perennials that provide ample nectar for hummingbirds. They are resistant to browsing rabbits and deer.

  • These perennials grow best in compost enriched garden loam and dislike clay.
  • Should be mulched in dry climates with most types of common mulch materials.
  • Prefer regular watering to keep the soil moderately moist, but too much water makes them floppy.
  • Plant in part sun (morning sun/afternoon shade) or dappled shade, although at high elevation (above 7,000 ft.) they will do fine in full sun with regular irrigation. Aquilegia chrysantha and A. desertorum are the most sun tolerant.
  • Prepare the soil with good quality compost (not bagged manure, it’s too salty) and Yum Yum Mix.

Shipping

We're sorry, this product cannot ship to: Canada, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, US Virgin Islands, and Guam

As soon as your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email. You will receive a second email the day your order ships telling you how it has been sent. Some perennials are shipped as potted plants, some as perennial roots packed in peat.  The ‘Plant Information’ section describes how that item will ship. All perennials and fall-planted bulbs are packaged to withstand shipping and are fully-guaranteed. Please open upon receipt and follow the instructions included.

Perennials and fall-planted bulbs are shipped at the proper planting time for your Growing Zone. Perennial and fall-planted bulb orders will arrive separately from seeds. If your order requires more than one shipment and all items are shipping to the same address, there is no additional shipping charge. See our shipping information page for approximate ship dates and more detailed information. If you have any questions, please call Customer Service at (801) 769-0300 or contact us by email or chat.

View

Key Features

Light Requirements

  • Full Shade

Water Tolerance

Low-Water

Bloom Time

Late spring to early summer

Advantages

  • Attracts Hummingbirds
  • Native
  • Long Bloom Time
  • Deer Resistant
  • Rabbit Resistant

Additional information

Mature Height

36-60" tall

Mature Spread

15-18" wide

Soil Type

  • Average Soil
  • Sandy Soil
  • Clay Soil
  • Compost Enriched Garden Loam Soil
  • Low Fertility Soil
  • Well-Drained Soil

Soil Moisture

  • Average
  • Moist / Wet

Planting Time

  • Fall

Native To

North America

Growing Zones

  • Zone 4
  • Zone 5
  • Zone 6
  • Zone 7
  • Zone 8
  • Zone 9
  • Zone 10

Ships As

Potted Plant

Can Send To PO Box

No

Ships to Hawaii & Alaska

No

Overall rating: 3.857143 / 5 from 7 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

Summary topics

Review topics: ["winter","garden","plant"].

Review highlights

Reviews

Aquilegia eximia

"If you're on the border of this plants cold hardiness, it probably needs to be spring planted. I planted 6 last fall and only one overwintered. HCG is very good about replacing plants though(these were out of stock though unfortunately and gave me a refund instead). I thought the one that overwintered wasn't going to bloom this year, but it finally decided to start blooming in mid summer. It's in a very shady spot where it gets a few of hours of direct sunlight and that's it. It's pretty short right now, but hoping for that larger stature next year. The anther column is made for hummingbirds-for when they push their beak up inside the nectar spur, the anther column moves in the direction of the spur that's being pushed up into the hummingbird's chest, covering it with pollen, it's pretty cool to watch. The hummers haven't found mine yet do to it only being a foot tall and tucked away in a shady spot, but hoping for some good photos of this interaction sometime soon. Gonna plant a few more in a more open(but still shady) spot."

— Oscarflip (5/5)

Improved By You

"We've listened! In partnership with our greenhouses and growers this product was improved based on your customer ratings and reviews."

— Erin (5/5)

Survived a scorcher of a summer with minimal water

"It hasn't bloomed yet, hopefully next spring. I can't attest to its hardiness as we haven't had a winter yet. They have been a tough little plants so far in a hot dry year with minimal watering. Ask me next summer how I like them. We have a long wet winter ahead of us."

— None (4/5)

Wrong Columbine

"The columbine I received flowered as a plain yellow columbine, not the more exotic orange and yellow one that I ordered. It does not match the photograph at all. I'm not sure I actually received a Serpentine Columbine. On a side note, the plant did survive the California 115 degree heatwave as a container plant, which was very impressive. One of the reasons I ordered the Serpentine Columbine was it was the only one I had seen that listed my zone here in California. So whatever Columbine I got, it gets 3 stars for living and actually blooming, but it was probably not what I paid for."

— Bookwyrme (3/5)

unusual columbine

"Planted in a front garden that is primarily devoted to xeric plants. I will be interested to see if it comes back in the spring. Gardening was difficult this year abundant to excessive rain in late July thru early October. Now no moisture at all for almost 2 months."

— Dave (4/5)

hopefully 2nd year will be better?

"It did not flourish in the first year, which is often to be expected. The plant arrived healthy, but struggled to acclimate a bit. I think it will be fine assuming it survives the winter. The biggest disappointment though was that I had one bloom on it and it was rather pale and in a shade of yellow. Not orange at all, nor was the flower any bigger than any standard Columbine I already have. I'm hoping to be proved wrong next year."

— Sunray (3/5)

50-50

"I bought two of these plants. One came up, while the other died within two months of planting. The one that survived did not flower. Maybe it will nexth year."

— The P. (3/5)

Q&A

Your Recently Viewed