Columbine (Aquilegia) is a perennial with exquisite flowers in soft tones that will perfectly complement any arrangement in your garden. This is because Aquilegia crosses each other very easily and the variety of colors in which they appear every year from April onwards is very large. They are also hardy and require little. However, incorrect care, compacted soil and pests can prevent flowering. Find out why your columbine isn't blooming in this article!
Columbine doesn't bloom - what are the possible causes
Is your columbine not blooming? This is usually due to factors from the previous year and a lack of nutrients that have built up in the roots. Here are some of the possible causes!
Aquilegia does not tolerate lack of light
European columbinesgrow well in full sun and partial shade. They need a large amount of indirect sunlight daily to thrive. If planted in a location where there are too many obstacles blocking light (dark walls, trees or other plants), they may not be able to build up enough nutrients over the summer to bloom the following spring. So make sure you plant your Columbine in the right location so you can enjoy its flowers.
- Notice: There are more than 70 different species of Columbine that have different flowering habits. Europe may experience a “mid-summer calm” caused by excessive heat. This leaf loss can be slowed or prevented entirely by keeping plants out of direct sun during the hottest months.
Dry soil and nitrogen fertilizer
Columbines like humus-rich, well-drained and moist soil, but they cannot tolerate waterlogging. Also note that if the nitrogen content in fertilization is too high, the plant will put most of its energy into developing the columbine leaves and not into flowering. Too much nitrogen alone is not responsible for the lack of flowering, but it certainly has a negative effect, especially when combined with other factors such as dry soil and too little light.
Age or poor crossbreeding
Although the columbine is hardy and has few demands, it usually lives for up to four years and sometimes only has one flowering period. However, after this time, the perennial may slowly die back and be too old to bloom again.
Is your columbine not blooming? Another reason for this could be an unfavorable intersection. As we have already told you, columbines cross easily with each other, resulting in surprising flower colors in the garden every year. However, there is also the risk that certain crosses will develop few or almost no flowers.
Columbine does not bloom because of pests & diseases
Severe fungal and pest infestations can affect the growth of the plant and prevent flowering completely. This problem is easily diagnosed through visual inspection - the damage to the lower leaves is usually very obvious.
Sometimes the cause remains a mystery or is due to too many environmental factors interacting with each other. Root rot or root fungal diseases can remain hidden and are difficult to detect.
Garlic against pests - How to use the natural pesticide in the gardenfind out here!
Tips on what you can do if the columbine doesn't bloom
Find a sunnier location: If the columbine is not producing flower buds in late spring, increasing light intensity can help induce flowering. This is particularly true for plants that spent the previous season in a low-light location and have no nutrient reserves in their rhizomes. You can increase the light intensity by removing obstacles that prevent light from reaching the Akeleia or by moving the plant to a location with more light.
Apply a phosphorus-rich fertilizer – these are usually marketed as “flowering plant fertilizers.” Phosphorus stimulates flowering and reduces high nitrogen levels.
Cut columbine: If you cut dead flowers off the plants regularly, they will bloom much longer and more flowers will appear. Also pick off the dead leaves. New shoots will appear soon after.
Do not overwater the soil: Watering too frequently can slow the growth of this plant and the leaves may start to turn yellow. As already mentioned, columbines do not tolerate waterlogging.
Interesting facts – Is Aquilegia poisonous to humans and animals
Although used in folk medicine, columbine is highly toxic to humans and animals. Eating even small amounts of seeds or roots can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, shortness of breath and dizziness. So if you want to plant columbines in your garden, be sure to place them in places that are difficult for children or animals to reach. Pets can also be poisoned by the plants.
The most poisonous species is the common columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris), pictured above. This is followed by less poisonous varieties such as the Canadian columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) or the golden yellow columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha).
