Columbines

Columbines: Aquilegia sp. These attractive wildflowers with spurred flowers are found wild throughout North America, Siberia and other northern temperate regions. Aquilegia means eagle-like and refers to the spurs' (nectarines) resemblance to an eagle’s talons. Their unique flowers have generated some colorful common names including: Rock bells, Granny’s bonnet, Jack-in-trousers, and Revolver flower. A. canadensis are dark green and deeply divided. Its drooping flowers are bell-shaped and they are yellow with long, straight, red spurs. A. alpina produces blue and white flowers and is the state flower of Colorado.

In some Native American tribes a man would grind up the seeds into a powder and coat his hands before holding the hand of his desired companion, and then they would wash their hands together. This "love potion" ensured the couple a long, happy life together. In Europe however it was considered a tremendous insult to be given columbine if you were a woman and bad luck if you were a man.

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