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. 'William Guiness' 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:

'William Guiness' is a very short-spurred columbine most noted for its large, nodding, bicolored flowers which are dark purple with contrasting white on the upper half of the sepals. It is a bushy, clump-forming perennial that typically grows 24-30" tall. Blooms in spring. Biternate, almost fern-like, medium green foliage is somewhat suggestive of meadow rue (Thalictrum). 'William Guiness' is considered by some references to be synonymous with A. v. 'Magpie'.