Aquilegias

We have aquilegias in several different colours and a couple of years back had some yellow ones but they died. We have looked everywhere to replace them but it doesn't seem to be available. Anybody know where we can get some please?

 

http://plants.thompson-morgan.com/product/3588/1
Try this jjordie

 

I bought a large flowering yellow one from the Malvern spring show, it hasn't flowered yet, maybe it won't now untill next year. I'll let you know the name of it tomorrow.And maybe if it flowers next year you could have some seeds

 

A good yellow one is Aqulegia longissima which reputedly has the longest spurs of any columbine. It is easy to grow from seed.
Try Chilterens
http://www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds/
There is also another yellow specie, Aquilegia chrysantha, but i have not yet flowered that one so am not sure how easy it is.
Seeds by Size does several yellow columbines
http://www.seeds-by-size.co.uk/index.htm
but as they would be the F1 hybrids they would be quite expensive.
If you have bought a yellow plant then it may be you have bought the yellow one that was grown from a mixture. Personally I cannot fault Aquilegia longissima. My two year old plant started flowering in april. has had dozens of flowers open at the same time and still has a few left.. and they are large flowers.

 

Thanks for info - we have quite a few to choose from now.

 

Is there any way to know if an Aquilegia will come true from seed? A friend has had several showy plants in the past but all that remains several years later are a couple of shades of lilac. I've been helping clear her plot for the last couple of years and would like to introduce some others and attempt to remove these (which are quite honestly growing like weeds now).

 

Mine is called F1 Aquilegia State Florida, braved the rain to get the label :D
Description: A large flowering Columbine with grey-green foliage and good vigour.

 

I don't think Aquilegias will come true from seed if different kinds are grown together, they are very promiscuous with their pollen. Mine cross like mad. I still have some lovely doubles that originate from years before but sometimes dark blues become more common.

 

Very interesting that Geoff - perhaps that's how our yellow aquilegias 'disappeared' as we seem to have lots of red, purple etc, so they have just changed colour??

 

Well most aquilegias are not very long lived so the originals will have died out and you are getting the result of hybridisation. Sometimes one colour can seem to predominate and I find it can vary from year to year. Last year i seemed to have more very dark blue that were very beautiful but this year it has been doubles that have been more common.
Sometimes it affects the professionals. I bought 3 packets of seed from one place and there was little difference between them when they flowered. So I am using a different source now.

 

Geoff thanks for that info - an eye opener.

If we keep different types as far from each other as possible will that restrict the process?

Or maybe if we keep one type only?

And I guess it may be better to remove the blue/purple hybrids if planting new?

 

Doubt it, the bees and other pollinating insects get around quite a bit.
:rolleyes:

 

How many acres do you have? Now if you were the Prince Of Wales writing under a nom de plume!!! Those busy bees get everywhere, as the previous post suggests.
The seeds also get everywhere. My next door neighbour, who does not plant anything, but just has someone in to cut the grass seems to have several nice columbines, which seem to have similarities to some of mine.

 

mmm - I feel vindicated in classifying them as weeds for the purpose of my plot then, and get the pleasure of planting them in my friend's garden instead

 

This is my first attempt at aquilegias.I think these are summer bonnet but i have a packet of Mckana giants unopened if anyone wants em.I`ve no clue as to where i`m gonna put them for next yr.Maybe dig a circle in mr.fiz`s lawn??