And grow Aquilegia flabellata from a plug - Research Paper Example

Aquilegia flabellata I planted Aquilegia flabellata Ministar in an appropriately sized container and took care of it. I documented its progress up until I had to do some travelling during the reading week. I left the plant at my friend’s home and it died. She told me the plant died because it was eaten by her cat. Correspondingly, the plant’s name Aquilegia comes from the Latin word aquil which means eagle. The plant’s five spurs flowers look like an eagle’s talon. The species name, flabellata means ‘a small fan’ from the Latin word flabellum.

The common name for the plant is Fan columbine due to its rounded and curved shape of the leaves. Proceeding further, Aquilegia flabellata is a perennial flowering plant of the family Ranunculaceae. Other varieties of the plant include A. flabellata var. pumila and A. flabellata var. alba (Armitage 111).The species is a native of Japan; in the alpine regions of Northern and Central Japan (Harper and McGourty 53). With regard to its cultivation, it should be planted in a pot size of minimum 7 cm.

Its full grown height is 15-20cm. The plant has divided leaves and slightly glaucous. Aquilegia flabellata produces violet-blue, pale blue, or lavender flowers that are about 3cm in width. The floral structures are housed in creamy-white petals. Its fan-shaped foliage is thicker and wider in comparison to other columbines. The blooming time is early spring or late summer.As cited by Seedaholic, the plant’s flowers are produced above attractive fan-shaped foliage. When planted outdoors, the plant’s spacing is 30 cm.

The seeds are sown in late summer and covered by 3 to 5 cm of soil. The plant can thrive in moist soil, neutral, alkaline or acidic soil conditions, and also in normal, sandy or clay soil. When planted indoors, the seed composts in the pot. The soil temperature is kept at 15OC to 20OC. The seedlings can be transplanted into 7cm wide pots. Feeding is necessary both organicall and inorganically. Even in winter, their rounded foliage is still attractive. However, they appear more attractive if given a late-autumn hair cut.

After the flowers have been produced, the stalks can be cut off, leaving the leaves to do their work. Aquilegia flabellata tends to cross-pollinate and hybridize, thus creating new strains as well as colors. The plant grows best in morning sun and afternoon shade. In relation to its longevity, this Aquilegia flabellata has a tendency to loose vitality after four or five years. Considering that Aquilega flabellata grows up to 20 cm long, the companion plants need to a bit taller. For example, Chrysanthemums can be used as companion plants.

The Fan Columbine blooms at the same time with Irises (Nicolaus). Other companion plants to Aquilegia flabellata include verbena, hemerocalis, and dianthus (Damrosch 80). Besides, the purple and blue floral colors create an attractive view. York (41) shares the evidence that Aquilegia flabellata demonstrates significant resistance to the columbine leaf miners which majority of the other species as well as cultivars are susceptible to. The Fan columbine when delivered as a pot plant, it costs about £1.

98 each or £5.95 for three. The plant is appropriate for cultivation in the rockery together with an alpine garden. It covers the bare spots quickly and spreads over the years. The plants spreads by about 15-20 cm (6-8 inches). Various plants grouped together would be an eye-catching display, especially at the front border (Garden Shop). Aquilegia flabellata has a good texture/form. The plant also attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. It can also be used as a cut flower. Furthermore, it is deer resistant, drought tolerant, rabbit resistant, and also poisonous.

Any part of the plant when consumed is toxic. The plant is a key component in landscape design.Works CitedArmitage, Allan. Herbaceous Perennial Plants: A Treatise on Their Identification, Culture, and Garden Attributes. New York: Stipes Publishing, 2008. Print.Damrosch, Barbara. The garden primer. Chicago: Rodale, 2003. Print.Garden Shop. Aquilegia flabellata Ministar. . Web. 2015. Accessed April 7, 2015.Harper, Pamela and Fred McGourty. Perennials: How to Select, Grow & Enjoy. New York: Penguin Books, 1985.

Nicolaus, Jill. Winter Sowing Columbines as Iris Companions. 7 April 2015 . Web. February 4, 2012. Accessed April 7, 2015.Seedaholic. Aquilegia flabellata Mini-Star. . Web Aril 7, 2015. Accessed April 7, 205.York, Sarah. The Anatomy of Edouard Beaupré, New York: Sage, 2012. Print.