Sunshine Columbine
Aquilegia x caerulea 'Sunshine'
- Stay Protected with Plant Sentry ™
Sunshine Columbine - #1 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
| From | To | S&H |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
| $20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
| $50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
| $70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
| $100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
| $130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
| $150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
| 4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
| 4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
| 6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
| 1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
| 5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
| #1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
| 5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
| #3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
| #6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
| #7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Sunshine Columbine highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun, Partial Shade
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Flower Color
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Pollinator Friendly
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodLate Spring
Growing Zones 3-8
Extraordinary double blooms, Here is an easy way to get serious "wow factor" in late spring...all the way through early summer. One of the best cultivated varieties available, Sunshine Columbine (Aquilegia x caerulea 'Sunshine') features unique double yellow blooms with a butter yellow bi-color and long spurs. Best of all, these fantastic flowers continue to bloom for nearly six weeks in most years!
You'll love them and your guests will be amazed! Local Hummingbirds and butterflies can't get enough of Sunshine's early-season nectar held in the distinctive spurs. These spring bloomers steal the show in the early season and reflect the color of the warm sun.
They make fabulous nosegays to celebrate May Day. Little children get so excited by these miraculous yellow "Fairy Flowers". The golden blooms are raised high above the dark green foliage on tall, slender flower stems. They'll catch every breeze in a showy, springtime dance! Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 3-8, Sunshine is wonderfully cold-hardy!
Planting and Application:
These highly ornamental blossoms are so beautiful! They start blooming as the first of the Daffodils finish and bloom around the same time as Peonies and Iris. Plant Sunshine in prominent places near the fronts of your garden beds, up close where you and your garden visitors can study them!
Grow plenty of them to enjoy in your garden borders, and to use as cut flowers, so include these pretty plants in hard-working Cutting Gardens. Each bloom will last a few weeks in a vase. Try featuring individual blooms in tiny bud vases, placed in small groupings on your bedside table.
Try them in a bold yellow-toned garden to welcome the new season! Underplant a showy Forsythia shrub with Daffodil bulbs and Sunshine Columbines. Continue that life-affirming, yellow color scheme with golden summer blooms of Coreopsis and native Black-Eyed Susan. You'll feel great about supporting local pollinators with spirited Goldenrod and creeping Angelina Sedum at the edge!
Columbines are wildflowers that "self-seed". Trust us, this is a good thing! You'll be excited to see where Mother Nature decides to plant the new Sunshine Columbines. Transplant any tiny seedlings to expand your planting, if you'd like.
Cottage Gardens become sunnier with a wild mix of Sunshine Columbine, Little Lanterns Columbine and Winky Purple & White Columbine. Make the most of their welcoming whimsy and showy form. Have fun with these playful, ephemeral wildflowers!
Let them play hide and seek with boulders, in Rock Gardens, and skirting garden sculptures. Mass several of them in the dappled shade along your winding woodland paths. But, these plants do need a sturdy partner whose foliage will grow tall to cover starting in mid-summer.
- Showy Wildflower With Sunshine Yellow Petals
- Lavish, Fully Double Yellow Blooms
- Nectar-Rich Pollinator Resource - Flowers Last Over a Month!
- Finely-Cut, Mounded, Delicate Foliage
- Dark Green Leaves Make a Wonderful Contrast
- Edging & Accents in Containers, Beds & Borders
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Durable perennial Sunshine Columbines require at least four to six hours of sunlight a day. They are happy in full sun but do need a consistent amount of water. In hotter climates, Columbines do better in locations with afternoon shade or dappled all-day partial shade.
Columbine needs rich, well-drained soil. Elevate your planting in a raised bed, if your planting site stays wet after rain. They'll really appreciate the beneficial ingredients in Nature Hills Root Booster. Give them support over the life of the plant by helping their tiny rootlets access water and micronutrients. Place a 3-4 inch layer of mulch over the root system, then pull it back from directly touching the crown and stems. Apply supplemental water on a regular basis.
Deadhead to prevent self-seeding and encourage a rebloom as soon as the first round of flowering fades. Or, let them reseed hither, thither, and yon...you'll be thrilled to have more of these gorgeous blooms! Once the leaves start fading in late summer, trim back the foliage.
- Carefree & Easy to Grow in Full Sun to Partial Shade
- Widely Adaptable Most Well-Drained Soils
- Versatile & Drought Tolerant Once Established
- Deadhead For Rebloom & Prune As Flowers Fade
- Extremely Cold Hardy Perennial Plants
Feed your soul! Add the exquisite blooms of Sunshine Columbine this season. You'll love the high quality coming from our perennial plant experts at Nature Hills!
