General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Tolerates wide range of soils except heavy, poorly drained ones. Prefers rich, moist soils with light to moderate shade. Remove flowering stems after bloom to encourage additional bloom. Keep soils uniformly moist after bloom to prolong attractive foliage appearance. When foliage depreciates, plants may be cut to the ground. Woodside strain plants may be grown from seed and may self-seed in the garden under optimum growing conditions. However, different varieties of columbine may cross-pollinate in the garden producing seed that is at variance with either or both parents.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

This columbine is noted for its striking variegated foliage which is green marbled with yellow or consists entirely of various marbled shades of yellow and cream. It is a bushy, clump-forming perennial that typically grows 10-15" tall and features nodding, short-spurred (incurved), primarily two-tone flowers in a mixture of colors including red, pink, white and blue. Blooms in spring. Triternate, almost fern-like foliage shape (but not marbled color) is somewhat suggestive of meadow rue (Thalictrum). Aquilegia comes from the Latin word for eagle in reference to the flower's five spurs which purportedly resemble an eagle's talon. This variegated-leaved columbine is considered to be part of the Aquilegia vulgaris vervaeneana group. This strain was developed by Mervyn Feesey whose U.K. home in Barnstaple, North Devon is named "Woodside". Plants are sold under a variety of cultivar names including 'Woodside', 'Woodside Variegated' and 'Woodside Strain' or in color specific names such as 'Woodside Red' and 'Woodside Blue'.