Columbine in Zone 7a & 7b

Aquilegia vulgaris

When to plant columbine in zone 7b

Zones 7a and 7b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. Columbine needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.

Start indoorsFeb 6–Feb 13
Direct sow / transplant outsideApr 17–Apr 24
Estimated bloomApr 16 '28–Apr 23 '28 (~365 days after transplanting)

Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1.5-2.5 ft.

Columbine
Photo: Maurizio Trenchi (Cipripedium) via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain, cropped.

Columbine is a woodland-edge perennial known for its distinctive spurred flowers, which look almost architectural next to most garden blooms. It's an easy, long-lived plant once established, but like a lot of perennials grown from seed, it takes its time getting there.

How columbine fits zone 7's season

Zone 7b's frost-free window runs about 198 days, from April 10 to October 25. Columbine needs about 365 days from transplant to first harvest.

Good companions

No standout companions recorded yet for Columbine.

Where to buy columbine seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

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See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing columbine" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 7b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

Growing Columbine in USDA zone 7b

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Growing Columbine in USDA zone 7b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.

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