101 



THE COLUMBINE. 



Botanically the Columbine is called 

 Aquilegia, from the Latin word Aquila, 

 meaning an eagle, in reference to a fan- 

 cied likeness of the spurs of its flowers to 

 the talons of an eagle. It is one of the 

 crowfoot family (Ranunculaceae). 



This pretty and herbaceous perennial is 

 distributed over most of the north tem- 

 perate zone and, if not altogether a child 

 of the mountains, it may be sought in 

 rocky or stony localities. One is sur- 

 prised to find the graceful Columbine, de- 

 fying the storms, with its roots carefully 

 fastened in the deep crevasses of the rocks 

 of rugged mountains and protruding its 

 nodding flowers above some steep ledge 

 where human foot has never trod. To 

 many a weary wayfarer this little hermit 

 flower has brought joy and pleasure. 

 Though attractive to the lover of flowers, 

 it is not met with in folklore nearly as 

 frequently as many other species of 

 plants that are far less attractive. 



The genus Aquilegia includes about 

 twenty species and an endless number of 

 varieties, produced by the skill and intel- 

 ligence of the gardener. The United 

 States can claim the prettiest of all the 

 species of this widely distributed group. 

 One species is the Wild Columbine 

 (Aquilegia Canadensis) of our illustra- 

 tion. It is common everywhere. Here 

 it is found covering rocky hills, softening 

 the harsh gray of the rocks with its deli- 

 cate foliage ; there it enlivens the wood- 

 land borders with its nodding and pretty 

 scarlet flowers, which are lined with 

 bright yellow. In the woods it is fre- 

 quently encountered, though not as ro- 

 bust in its growth, as if in this sheltered 

 position less strength is required. An- 



other species, and the most elegant of all 

 the Columbines, is the blue Rocky Moun- 

 tain form (Aquilegia coerulea). It is at 

 home in the Grand Canon of the Colo- 

 rado, where its wild grace and untram- 

 meled native beauty is unsurpassed. 

 Among the other species that should be 

 mentioned are the Yellow Columbine 

 (Aquilegia crysantha) of the Western 

 States, and its sister, also yellow, the 

 Pubescent Columbine (Aquilegia pubes- 

 cens) of the Death Valley of California. 

 The Rocky Mountain and Yellow Colum- 

 bines furnish the finest garden forms and 

 are the parents of several beautiful va- 

 rieties. Europe has its common form 

 (Aquilegia vulgaris) and also Alpine spe- 

 cies, which, though outranked by our na- 

 tive species, are the originals of many of 

 the single and double varieties of the 

 garden. 



Though it has been stated that the Col- 

 umbines prefer the rocky hillsides, it 

 must not be supposed that they will not 

 tolerate a home in the border of a gar- 

 den flower bed. Like many other plants 

 of a similar nature, they thrive under cul- 

 tivation, where a sunny and sheltered po- 

 sition is more suitable. One of the most 

 beautiful of the garden varieties, or hy- 

 brids, is the double-flowered Skinner's 

 Columbine. 



The Columbines have been called "the 

 Howers for the masses." Once started in 

 the garden they wil! propagate for years 

 and, although perennial, they increase 

 rapidly by self-sown seed. The young 

 plants will acquire sufficient size and 

 strength, before the close of the growing 

 season, to endure the trying winter 

 weather. James Jensen. 



