Clementine Dark Purple Columbine

Aquilegia vulgaris 'Clementine Dark Purple' is a compact columbine with semi-double to double, spurless, pompon-like flowers that face upward in a deep purple shade. The flowers rise above divided blue-green foliage in a clump, giving this short-lived perennial a clear vertical accent in late spring and early summer. ## Flowers and garden use The Clementine Series is valued for compact plants and clematis-like, upward-facing blooms; flower descriptions of this cultivar range from semi-double to double. Use this cultivar in a cottage border, rock garden, or container, where the dark flowers can be viewed closely. It can self-seed in favorable conditions, and seedlings may not retain the named cultivar's traits. ## Siting and soil Choose full sun or partial shade and provide soil that stays moderately moist but drains well. It tolerates a range of soil textures and pH, but avoid waterlogged conditions. Published size ranges vary: the RHS describes plants to about 40 cm, while other horticultural references give a broader range. ## Maintenance Remove faded flowering stems if you want to reduce self-seeding or encourage a tidier appearance. Columbines resent root disturbance, so division is possible but recovery can be slow. Sources: [Royal Horticultural Society](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/273935/aquilegia-vulgaris-clementine-dark-purple-clementine-series-d/details) and [Gardenia](https://www.gardenia.net/plant/aquilegia-vulgaris-clementine-dark-purple).