Plant Profile - Stuyvesant Cove Park

Aquilegia canadensis is a new addition to the park, planted in the fall of 2007. Hundreds of these plants were added, most of them quite small. Early this year the park staff started noticing that many of the Aquilegia planted last year were coming up, which is surprising considering Stuyvesant Cove is a public park and we tend to lose a lot of plants due to foot traffic. But not these delicate jewels, they quickly grew to full size (1.5 feet) and started blooming in late April. They are still blooming today and will sporadically bloom till mid June.

Aquilegia canadensis, also know as Wild Columbine, can grow in a variety of light conditions: part sun/shade, full sun, or full shade (fewer flowers). It is also tolerant of many types of soils, as long as it has good drainage, making it an easy low maintenance native plant. Keeping it watered will produce lush gray green leaves and many flowers. This plant is also very comfortable in drought conditions where it will also produce flowers. There are many insects and animals that are attracted to this plant, mostly ones that have the ability to reach the nectar in the long tubular flowers, such as moths, butterflies and hummingbirds, just to name a few.

Wild Columbine is a great addition to any flowerbed or park, it has wonderful pale red flowers that dangle downward and stand out very nicely against fresh spring leaves of other plants. If you are interested in seeing this plant in person, please stop by the park and have a look; they are the only red blooming plants in the park at this time.


Posted on Friday, May 16th, 2008 at 11:44 am | Tagged in Native Plants, New York City, Stuyvesant Cove Park, Sustainability | posted by Melissa

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