Aquilegia alpina: characteristics, uses and care

bluish flowers

Today we are going to talk about a plant whose flowers have an ornamental interest for decoration. It’s about the Alpine aquilegia. It is a plant that belongs to the Ranunculaceae family and is native to France and Italy. It usually grows in areas of Upper Provence, the Swiss Alps and the Apennines. They are herbaceous plants of a height that depends on the variety that we are treating, but it usually measures between 40-60 centimeters.

In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics, properties and care of the Alpine aquilegia.

Key features

alpine alchilegia flowers

It is a type of herbaceous plant that has a height of about 40-60 cm. It is a type of lively plant with bluish green leaves. They not only stand out for their flowers, if not for the reflection of their leaves when the sunlight hits them. The leaves have between 2 and 3 leaflets and the edges are fringed. Its flowers are trumpet-shaped and are usually dark red or blood red. Although there are some varieties that can have the flowers of a white to blue color passing through some shades of red and yellow. There are also varieties and colors that usually sell quite well, since it helps to make good color combinations in the garden.

The stems are erect and the flower is slightly hanging. The flower stems are the ones that branch the most, so they are very easy to identify when the plant is developing. Most of them can come to flower in the spring time and during the summer. It is during the hottest season that the seeds appear in large quantities within the pubescent and dehiscent fruit.

The Alpine aquilegia It is not usually very demanding in terms of care, but its life is quite short. The leaves are compound and from July is when it produces large bluish flowers. The beauty of the flowers is that it is shaped like a hanging bell and has a large spur. The size of the bush in total is usually around 0.45 × 0.45 meters.

Caring for the Alpine aquilegia

blue flowers

Let’s see what are the main care that the variety of Alpine aquilegia. The first of all is to know that it is a plant that is appreciated by the world of gardening and decoration due to its somewhat strange flowers. This is what attracts the most attention to grow this plant. In order to cultivate the Alpine aquilegia some aspects must be taken into account, although it is not too demanding.

First of all is the location. It is a plant that needs to have a little more shade with only some sun. The location is shady, but some parts of the day can get to the point where you will need some sun to photosynthesize well. If it is exposed to the sun for a long time, the flowers may be damaged. It does not support exposure to solar radiation for too long.

They join several copies of Alpine aquilegia You will see that the decorative effect is much greater, especially if combined with those varieties that have two colors. It is usually used in gardens and is grown both directly in the ground and in pots. It is more advisable to grow the pot if you are more new to the world of gardening. And it is that with the use of the pots we guarantee that the development of the plant occurs correctly. Normally the development time is the most demanding in terms of care and substrate.

If the area where you live has winters like strong frosts, the plant will disappear and then sprout again. To allow it to survive well, we must isolate the foot of the plant from constant low temperatures. It can endure some frosts in a timely manner but it is not highly recommended if we want it to show all its splendor later in the flowering season.

As for the ground, needs fertile, fresh and well-drained soil. Soil drainage is the essential component of almost all garden plants. It will mean a soil that can filter runoff water well. This water is generated either by irrigation or by rainfall. This plant does not tolerate waterlogging, so if the soil is not well drained it will end up rotting the roots. The indicator to re-water the Alpine aquilegia It is when they observe that the earth is completely drying up. During the winter it is recommended to practically suspend all waterings, since it is located in the shade and with the rainwater it is enough to maintain a stable level of humidity.

Uses and multiplication of Alpine aquilegia

alpine aquilegia

As we have mentioned before, this species is used a lot for decoration. Mainly It is used in rockeries, mixed curbs, around natural water ponds and even in pots. For those more inexperienced in the care of plants, it is advisable to use pots. In addition, its flowers can also be used as cut flowers in bouquets.

It is advisable to add a little sand to the ground to facilitate drainage somewhat. We must guarantee at all times that the soil is moist but without getting waterlogged. It is a plant that does not require pruning, but wilted flowers should be eliminated to make room for new ones on the flower stalks.

Regarding pests and diseases, the Alpine aquilegia It can be attacked by powdery mildew, mealybugs and aphids. It all depends on the amount of humidity and sun that you perceive. Powdery mildew is a disease caused by fungi that grow due to excessive humidity. We must bear in mind that, if the location of the plant is in the shade, we must be careful with humidity.

It can be multiplied by division of sable in spring or by seeds sown at the same time. It is important not to sow the new plant in full sun, but in the shade. As a curiosity, children should be kept away from this plant since contact with its sap can cause skin irritations.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Alpine aquilegia and their characteristics.

Aquilegia alpina: characteristics, uses and care

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