The native wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) dangling blooms provide food for the ruby throated hummingbirds and other pollinators. The flower stalk grows one to three feet tall with one to two inch flowers. The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle as the flower petals resemble an eagle’s sharp talons. And its common name of columbine comes from the Latin for dove as the flower petals looks like five doves nested together. So looking like an eagle or dove might depend on how far the blossom is open as this one looks more claw than dove to me.
Another hot day did not lend itself to hiking in search of wildflowers, but these Wild Columbine, a native flower, almost look like they are on fire with their red and yellow blossoms.
This past weekend was the free state park day for Wisconsin and so I visited a nearby state park. Standing on a high overlook above a river bed near a waterfall, I spotted the Wild Columbine below me on the cliff. And of course there was no way to get to the flowers on the side of the cliff to take a picture since even a billy goat wouldn’t be able to get a foothold on the cliff. And two years ago at another state park, I also spotted the Wild Columbine on a cliff below me and like this weekend, I could only try to zoom in for a picture so no closeup of the flower. The Aquilegia canadensis has many common names besides Wild Columbine such as American Columbine, Cluckies, Culverwort, Dancing Fairies, Granny’s Bonnets, Honeysuckle, Jack-In-Trousers, Meetinghouses, Rock Bells, Rock Lily but I think I am going to call it ‘Hang on Harvey’ after the 1969 game we played as kids since I spot it hanging on cliffs.
Besides the limestone cliffs that I seem to find them lately, other areas you can find the flower in the eastern North American are woodlands, wooded slopes, sandy savannas, thinly wooded bluffs, shaded areas of limestone cliffs, limestone glades, fens and bogs, and areas along railroad tracks. It is reported that Native Americans rubbed the crushed seeds on the hands of men as a love charm.
