(A. vulgaris). There are cultivars and hybrids. Origin: Europe. Height: 1–2 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Blue, white, or purple bell- or tubular-shaped flowers with spurred petals. The 3-lobed leaves are often blue-green. Cultivar seedlings do not grow to original type. Cultivation: Sun/light shade. Moist well-drained soil. Invasiveness Note: European columbine is naturalized or invasive throughout the Midwest.
Alpine columbine (Aquilegia alpina)
Native Alternatives:
AMERICAN COLUMBINE, CANADIAN COLUMBINE, EASTERN COLUMBINE, RED COLUMBINE, WILD COLUMBINE. Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae). Genus: Aquilegia (A. canadensis). Height: 2 feet. Ornamental Attributes: “The form of the flower is unique and exquisitely beautiful. The petals are lengthened into hollow spurs in shape like trumpets with a drop of nectar in each of the closed ends.”19 The red and yellow flowers bloom April to June. The 3-lobed leaves are often blue-green. Cultivation: Sun/light shade. Well-drained moist to dry soil. “Easy to establish in a backyard garden and guarantees visits from hummingbirds.”20 Seedlings do grow to original type. Nature Note: “The native wild columbine is the primary host for the columbine duskywing (Erynnis lucilius).”21 The deep-throated flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds, bees, and the white-lined sphinx, white-lined hawk moth (Hyles lineata), notable for its long tongue. American columbine attracts the Delaware skipper butterfly (Anatrytone logan), unusual for seeking nectar by crawling deep into the throats of tube-like flowers.
American columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
CUTLEAF TOOTHWORT. Family: Mustard/cabbage (Brassicaceae, Cruciferae). Genus: Dentaria, Cardamine (D. or C. concatenata or D. or C. laciniata). Height: 1 foot. Ornamental Attributes: Spring show of pink, white, or purplish flowers April to June. Clumps of cut-leaved foliage slowly create patches. Cultivation: Light shade. Moist well-drained soil; CRINKLEROOT TOOTHWORT (D. or C. diphylla). White flowers fade to pink. Nature Note: The Mustard family hosts many butterfly species, including the mustard white butterfly (Pieris oleracea), checkered white (Pontia protodice) (p. 20), and olympia marble (Euchloe olympia). The nectar and/or pollen attract adult early spring butterflies, long-tongued and short-tongued bees, and the giant bee fly (Bombylius major). The now-extinct passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) ate toothwort tubers.
Cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)
More Native Alternatives:
BANEBERRY, p. 24; BLUE COHOSH, p. 25; EARLY MEADOW-RUE, p. 24; FRINGED BLEEDING HEART, p. 17.
Nonnative:
COLUMBINE MEADOW-RUE. Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae). Genus: Thalictrum (T. aquilegifolium); YELLOW MEADOW-RUE (T. flavum). There are cultivars. Origin: Europe, Asia. Height: 2–4 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Pink, white, or yellow flowers. Columbine-like foliage. Cultivation: Light shade. Moist, wet, or medium soil.
Yellow meadow-rue (Thalictrum flavum)
Native Alternatives:
EARLY MEADOW-RUE. Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae). Genus: Thalictrum (T. dioicum). Height: 1–2 feet. Ornamental Attributes: “In early April the staminate plant sends up a stem that at the summit divides and subdivides, bearing numbers of tiny, nodding, greenish yellow tassels, shedding pollen in abundance. Its graceful foliage is its greatest charm; the leaves are twice or thrice compound. After a rain the leaves, silvery with drops of water, possess an exquisite beauty.”22 It blooms into June, bearing flowers some people perceive as being white and yellow. Cultivation: Light shade. Medium moist to well-drained average garden soil. Nature Note: Attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds. Chiefly pollinated by wind.
Early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum)
Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda)
Red baneberry (Actaea rubra)
More Native Buttercup Family Alternatives:
AMERICAN COLUMBINE, p. 22; BANEBERRY, WHITE BANEBERRY, DOLL’S EYES. Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae). Genus: Actaea (A. pachypoda). Height: 1–3 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Pretty feathery fragrant white flowers in May, June and striking white late summer or early fall berries that “resemble the eyes of old-fashioned china dolls, hence the common name.”23 Airy columbine-like foliage, thick red stalks. Cultivation: Shade. Average garden soil; RED BANEBERRY (A. rubra). Red berries. Cultivation: Shade. Wet to average garden soil. Note: Threatened or rare in parts of the Midwest. Nature Note: Baneberry flowers lack nectar but they do provide pollen to visiting insects, mainly halictid bees. The common name “baneberry” refers to the fruit’s toxicity to humans, but it is relished by birds like the yellow-bellied sapsucker and the American robin, which help distribute the seeds to new areas. Mammalian herbivores avoid the foliage. Nonnative Note: Do not confuse native baneberry species with European baneberries.
Yellowbellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
More Native Alternatives:
BLUE COHOSH. Family: Barberry (Berberidaceae). Genus: Caulophyllum (C. thalictroides). Height: Usually less than 2 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Airy lobed leaves resemble columbine and meadow-rue. The foliage fills empty spaces left by ephemerals. Bears clusters of attractive yellow-green flowers April to June. Metallic blue berries late summer and fall. Cultivation: Shade. Medium moist or average garden soil. Nature Note: Bees and other beneficial insects seek the nectar. Birds seek the fruit.
