Days to Maturity: 365
All-America Selections Winner 1955
'McKana Giants Mixed' Columbine is a mixture of hybrid perennials offering spring to summer interest. Free flowering, the plants set large, bell-shaped blooms in a wide range of vibrant colors, including bicolors in various combinations of white, yellow, pink, red, purple, light blue, and midnight blue. Borne on strong stems, the long-spurred flowers attract hummingbirds to the garden and are ideal for cutting.
The award-winning columbine in 'McKana Giants Mixed' are Aquilegia caerulea cultivars, also known as Rocky Mountain columbine and granny's bonnets. The plants have a bushy, well-branched habit of attractive, ferny, medium- to light-green leaves. These extremely popular plants are outstanding garden performers, shown to best effect when grouped or massed in beds, borders, and naturalized areas.
Very hardy and resilient, columbine prefer organically rich, moist soils with light to moderate shade but grow well in full sun to part shade in cool climates and tolerate a wide range of soils, except heavy soils that are poorly drained. The plants are drought tolerant and deer and rabbit resistant. Deadheading spent flowers encourages blooms and prevents unwanted self-seeding.
Direct sow columbine seed in spring in soil that has warmed to 65 degrees Fahrenheit or start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before last frost date and transplant after the threat of frost has passed.
If you plan to start your seeds indoors, be sure to check out our Bio Dome Seed Starter Kit. With the Bio Dome, you can control the temperature, light, and soil mix to ensure your seeds become strong for transplant.
