Danish Dwarf Columbine
Aquilegia 'Danish Dwarf'
Plant Height: 12 inches
Flower Height: 18 inches
Spread: 12 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 2
Other Names: Red Hobbit Columbine
Description:
Elegant deep scarlet flowers with creamy white edged cups and interesting spurred petals rise over the medium green delicate foliage; a wonderful addition to border edges or massed in the garden; will tend to self seed
Ornamental Features
Danish Dwarf Columbine features showy nodding scarlet bell-shaped flowers with yellow eyes and white centers at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its lobed compound leaves remain green in color throughout the season.
Landscape Attributes
Danish Dwarf Columbine is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
Danish Dwarf Columbine is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Planting & Growing
Danish Dwarf Columbine will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity extending to 18 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant performs well in both full sun and full shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Danish Dwarf Columbine is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.