Healthy plants should be your goal, there is no way to rush them. There are many columbine/aquilegia, perennial although somewhat short lived. Most won't bloom their first year from seed, that display will take place next season.

Thank you morz for your comments. The intense summer heat of our Zone 9B weakens the Columbines plants to the extent that they died last year. I was surprised because I thought Columbines are perennials. I hope these can survive and delight us with their beautiful flowers next year.

I do not grow my Columbines in the full sun. Mine reseed and are beautiful under the canopy of tall trees. Al

Maybe its too hot for them where you have them? I dunno, columbines are native plants, I see them all the time when I'm out hiking and their pretty much always in partial sun to shady areas.

I am in Zone 9B and they are in my covered patio. The Columbines get some morning sun only. However, it really gets hot out here in the summer, in the 100's.

i live in zone 4. i started 12 from seed indoors. only 2 sprouted. they are so tiny that i worry about transplanting them outside & this is my first attempt. is partial sun best & will they make it over the long cold winter?

Columbine from seed do not flower the first year.

They definitely prefer shade in the summer. Mine are in a bed under trees. they get spring sun, but when the trees leaf out most are in total shade. There are a few threads in Cottage Gardens that are focused on Columbine.

I started growing them from seed a few years ago, planted out at least 20 tiny little seedlings the first year that didnt do much, but all came back gangbusters the following year, and flowered like crazy. Mine get some insect damage and the foliage gets ratty looking as they finish flowering at the end of June. I cut them back to the ground and they re-grow through the summer.

They are short lived plants, often only 2-3 years, so I am now growing a few from seed every year to keep the cycle going. They self-seed for many people, but dont seem to do that very often for me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Columbine thread

"Columbine from seed do not flower the first year" I have been unable to find confirmation of that statement. Having grown Aquilegea for many years I would think I would have noticed that. Please supply a reference for confirmation. Al

Al, there are dozens of species of aquilegia, we don't know which you are growing. I've taken out all but a. longissima and a. laramiensis, hoping to eliminate some of the cross pollination that seems to result in seedlings of the same blue/purple - but may be a lost cause with neighbors growing those :) Neither of the two will bloom first year.

If you search 'aquilegia bloom first year' you'll come up with several supporting articles. You'll find mention of some of the newer introductions that do bloom first year, but most of the varieties do not....or at least do not in my climate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's one:

Thank you morz8 for the link. An area of my garden has been growing Columbine continuously for over 10 years with no help from me. I enjoyed reading the link and have seedlings now about a foot high in another garden, and will be disappointed if they do not flower this year. Al

I shouldn't have stated that so definitively - sorry.

None of the columbine that I have grown from seed flowered until the 2nd year, and from what I have read, that is the usual. If you are getting blooms the first year, more power to ya!