Also known as Granny’s bonnet, lady’s shoes, bee’s cap, sow wort, and lion’s herb

It is believed the the aquilegia flower crossed the bearing land bridge 10-40 thousand years ago during the Pleistocene period stating in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Through this travel two major families have evolved, the European Common Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) and the American Columbines like Mountain Columbines (aquilegia caerulea) and Red Columbines (Aquilegia canadensis).

There are over 70 species of Aquilegia found scattered throughout the high altitude meadows and forests. they are not often seed in the wild due to their scarcity but if you look you will find them! They come in a wide variety of color combinations and different shapes but all Columbines are hardy perineal with their roots forming think Rhizomes. They have hermaphrodite (bisexual) flowers and propagate by seed, although it has taken several years for our seeds to sprout and planting young plants has been much more successful. It is native to high mountain regions in the northern hemisphere and can tolerate a hard freeze and dry soil conditions, preferring a spot that drains quickly and has partial shade. It can tolerate soil with a higher pH and live happily under large pine trees. The columbine flower sets it apart of other flowers and is where it gets its name. The Latin word aquilegia comes from ‘aquila’ meaning eagle referring to the talon shaped spur and sepal of the petals. The common name Columbine also has a Latin base coming from the word ‘columba’ meaning dove, referring to the top petal blades looking like 5 doves coming together.

These colorful flowers attract moths, especially nocturnal ones and hawkmoths, butterflies, bumblebees, and fairies. It is great for small gardens that do not get a lot of sun and will come back year after year with little need for fertilizer or water. If you collect the flowers as they open the plant will produce more flowers, you can leave some to encourage the plant to self seed. The flowers are beautiful when pressed and dried.

Aquilegia, and its cousin plants wolfsbane, and baneberry, produce cardiogenic toxins and it is not considered safe for consumption. The roots and seeds are toxic causing heart palpitations, gastroenteritis, and can be fatal. These plants should not be consumed. That is not to say they have never been eaten. The flowers were used by Native Americans and are said to have a sweet flavor and in moderate amounts were safe to consume. Nordic cultures would boil the plants to remove the toxins, leaving the plant edible.

In Norse mythology the columbine is connected the the Goddess Freya and is considered to be an aphrodisiac. Romans and Greeks associated columbine with Aphrodite, also believing it to be a flower of strong love! The Celtic belief was that like the butterflies who landed on them, columbines were intermediaries between the worlds. They were also connected with women and their menses. The seeds were used for the abortive powers to bring on ones cycle and restore a women’s strength.

Magickally this flower balances opposites, bringing together vulnerability and strength, war and peace, fragility and endurance, masculine and feminine. It is potent in love spells and can be used to boost the endurance of any spell. The flowers can be carried to bring courage and clarity.

Magickal Attributes

Gender: Feminine and Masculine, balancing
Planet: Venus and Earth
Element: Air
Powers: Love, courage, faeries, clarity, aspirations, endurance, good fortune