WARNING, Only the flowers are edible, the rest of the plant is toxic.
Columbine is in the Ranunculaceae or Buttercup family which contain mild toxins and should not be consumed by very young children or pregnant women.
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Columbine
(18 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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Columbine
| Hedgerow Type | |
| Common Names |
Granny’s Bonnet |
| Scientific Name |
Aquilegia |
| Season Start |
Apr |
| Season End |
Jul |
Please note that each and every hedgerow item you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.
Leaves
They look like buttercup leaves, which are in the same family. There are usually three leaves attached to one stem and each leaf is made up of three lobed leaves which are green until the Autumn when they can turn red.
Flowers
Complex and beautiful the flowers come in a range of colours, typically purple or blue although there are many different colours and variants. There are five outer petals which have ‘spurs’ surrounding the inner flower. They look like five doves facing each other.
Possible Confusion
With their distinctive flowers you should have no problem identifying this plant, it’s only the flowers that are really of any use.
Smell
Floral.
Taste
The flowers can be very sweet.
Frequency
Fairly common.
Collecting
The flowers can be eaten raw and on a sunny day can be really sweet if you beat the bees to them.
Medicinal Uses
Columbine has been used in the past for various different treatments but is considered too toxic for medicinal use today.
Other Facts
The scientific name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle. This is because of the shape of the flower petals, which are said to look like an eagle’s talons. The common name Columbine comes from the Latin for “dove”, as the inverted flower petals resemble five doves clustered together.
