Gerald L. Klingaman
Family
Ranunculaceae
Botanical Name
AQUILEGIA 'White Star'( STAR SERIES)
Plant Common Name
Columbine, White Star Columbine
General Description
Aquilegia ‘White Star’ puts on a generous show of large, upfacing, long-spurred flowers of fresh, snowy white contrasted with sunny, yellow centers. The exquisite blooms are held on branched, wiry stems, and hover gracefully atop compact mounds of lacy, blue-green foliage in mid- to late spring.
Aquilegia ‘White Star’ performs best in dappled sun to partial shade and evenly moist, nutrient-rich soil with good drainage. It will readily cross with other columbine and self-sow if allowed to go to seed, which is considered an advantage by some gardeners. However, faded flowers should be removed promptly if new plants are not desired. An ideal choice for woodland plantings and mixed borders, the gleaming blossoms of ‘White Star’ also make excellent cut flowers.
Aquilegia is a genus of about 70 species that exist across northern temperate zones worldwide. Commonly known as columbine, they are beloved for their fanciful, lantern-like flowers, which usually bloom in spring or summer atop slender stems of varying lengths. These hardy perennials typically form clumps of delicate, pale to deep green, lobed leaves which emerge from small, slender, woody rhizomes (underground lateral stems). Columbine species vary widely in size and habit, and may occur in open woodlands, meadows, or alpine areas. Their colorful blooms are attractive to bees, hummingbirds, and many species of butterflies and moths.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
7 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
4 - 9
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Sunset Zone
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring
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Native To
Hybrid Origin
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Blue Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Blue Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Blue Green
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Fine
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
