3

Does anyone know the name of the purple flower (or weed) shown below? We are in central Scotland.

enter image description here

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4

It is an Aquilegia, common name columbine - not sure if it's a named variety you planted yourself at some point, or whether it has seeded itself. If it has seeded itself, you're very lucky it's this colour - they usually turn out a sort of dirty pink when they're self set. It will drop seed after the flowers are finished, so if you don't want it to do that, cut down the flowered stems to the base when they're done. If you do want it to seed, cut the stems down after the seed has gone.

There are a lot of hybrids of this plant in quite a wide range of colours, including bi colours and double flowered forms. Some examples here https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/Search-Results?query=aquilegia

Improve this answer
4
  • Thank you for the great answer. We moved here recently so it may be from the previous owners.
    – user2023370
    May 30, 2018 at 18:24
  • 1
    Nice little surprise then!
    – Bamboo
    May 30, 2018 at 19:11
  • 1
    I don't think I have ever seen purple columbine, and the flowers are much larger than what I'm used to seeing also. The leaves definitely say columbine though.
    – Jeffrey Barber
    May 31, 2018 at 0:47
  • 1
    @JeffreyBarber - there's a purple/white bicolour one that has these large flowers too, plus a rather frilly petalled, triple layered one, there's hundreds of varieties
    – Bamboo
    May 31, 2018 at 9:57

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.