Earlybird™ Purple White Columbine

Light Needs

Full Shade to Partial Shade

(0 - 4 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

6-11 Inches

Mature Spread

6-18 Inches

Growing Zones

3 to 9

Early spring blooming flowers are the best remedy for a long bleak winter. Earlybird ™ purple white columbine gives you long-lasting spring color in an easy-to-grow compact plant. Grow Earlybird™ columbine in a garden bed full of spring blooming bulbs, or use it to edge a woodland path. The gorgeous soft purple spurs are long and showy, highlighting paler central petals for a look that is both romantic and energizing. With regular deadheading of spent blooms, Earlybird™ columbine will produce flowers well into early summer. 

Traditional columbine plants require long periods of cold temperatures to perform at their best. Earlybird™ requires less cold exposure, allowing it to be grown in areas with mild winters. Earlybird™ purple white columbine grows well in USDA zones 3-8 and blooms a full 2-3 days earlier than other colors in the series. The flowers are perfect for arranging in a vase and last for a long tme.

Earlybird™ Purple White Columbine Care

Columbine grows and flowers well in part sun to full shade. Choose a location that has well-draining soil throughout the year to ensure that this herbaceous perennial does not suffer from crown or root rot during the winter. It prefers a neutral to acidic pH and moderately rich, loamy soil. An annual application of slow-release fertilizer late in the winter will support bud formation and deep foliage color. 

Deadhead spent blooms to encourage a longer flowering period. Cut the plant back by half after the first flush of blooms to encourage more flowers early in the summer while also refreshing the foliage growth. Columbines are moderate growers and can be divided every 3-4 years to rejuvenate the plant's growth and add new plants to your garden. The roots are deep and do not like to be disturbed so dig carefully. Early spring or late summer is the best time to divide perennials, when temperatures are cool, which will reduce the amount of transplant shock.    

Earlybird™ Purple White Columbine Spacing

The compact growth of Earlybird™ columbine makes it a great choice for smaller gardens and containers. Expect an overall height of 9-11 inches with a spread of 8-12 inches. Space multiple plants 8 inches apart from the center of each plant to provide plenty of air circulation. Container-grown columbine can be planted closer together and kept healthy with careful deadheading and prompt removal of any dead or dying foliage.