Aquilegia vulgaris 'Leprechaun Gold'

Aquilegia vulgaris is native to the entire Northern Hemisphere, belongs to the Ranunculaceae family.

The common Columbine forms a basal rosette of distinctive pale green foliage, from which rise sturdy stems topped with nodding cup-shaped flowers — single or double — in a spectacular range of colours.

Eagerly visited by pollinators, columbines cross-pollinate freely between varieties, producing self-sown seedlings that are often just as colourful and unique as their parents. 

Fully hardy and remarkably easy to grow, Common Columbine thrives in moderately rich, moisture-retentive soil where its long, strong taproot can develop freely. In continental climates it adapts to most situations, including the dappled shade of a woodland edge, which beautifully sets off its delicate colours.

The striking variegation actually helps disguise leaf miner damage, which is a common affliction of columbine foliage a happy accident of its unusual looks.

The name is a nod to Irish folklore and its golden-green colouring, likely chosen by Jelitto as a marketing flourish. Beyond that, like many columbine selections, it probably emerged from careful observation of natural seedling variation rather than deliberate crossing — columbines being famously promiscuous self-seeders that throw up surprises on their own.