Columbine flowers are quite unique... and pretty. Every year I enjoy their appearance in mid spring. The colors are beautiful amid all of the greens that are growing by this time.
They are actually rather odd looking also.... and delicate. A contrast, of sorts.
I have noticed that it seems I am getting some I haven't seen before.... and I didn't plant them. I do enjoy them, though... and after a bit of research, I found that they are good at self-seeding and if they self-seed, many times they will combine with others nearby and make natural hybrids. This can be prevented, if desired, by deadheading the flowers.
I don't plan to do that.... as I like the surprise of wondering what the flowers will look like. :)
Some of them, I have every year... others vary.... and I like all of them.
They are a woodland plant when they grow wild... I guess that fits in parts of my yard since we have a lot of shade.
As I do with so many plants that grow in my yard, I searched to see if it has any herbal uses.
Surprisingly, I found that it does, although they are not really used anymore since it belongs to a family of plants that can be toxic.
It has been used as an astringent... and externally as a poultice to treat ulcer and skin conditions.
The flowers have been used as a tea.
The crushed seed also has a pleasant smell and has been used as a perfume.
Very interesting information.... but again and again I found that it is not used much today because of concerns of the toxicity, so I am not at all recommending it... just sharing what I have learned.
As I have said before, I am not a health professional, nor am I recommending you use this plant in any medicinal way... and I have never done so.
I am interested to learn about the plants in my yard... and if necessary, I would do much more research before I used them, but I like knowing that they do have uses... other than just being pretty. I also love seeing continuing evidence that God has provided what we need... even through the plants that He has created. I plan to just remember the possibilities for using this one, but I do not have plans to actually use it... at least not this year. Maybe another year... and after more research, I will... but for now, I sure enjoy their beauty in my yard. :)
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The pictures are just beautiful! Thanks for sharing! Praying for you. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you... I am enjoying all of these pretty spring flowers. :)
DeleteA beautiful collection of photos and flowers. Our creator and master artist must have such pleasure and fun with beauties like these.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering if you got this message that I sent you http://60-thenew40.com/liebster-award/
Kathleen,
Fridays Blog Booster Party#5
Thank you.. we sure do have a wonderful creator who is very creative.
DeleteYes, I did get your sweet message and I replied on email, but maybe it didn't go through. I really appreciate the nomination... that is so kind of you. My life is so excessively busy that I will have to decline, though. Thank you so much. I hope you have a wonderful week. :)
Gorgeous photos. I can't recall if I invited you to my Macro Monday Mixer yet or not, but it's a link up for macro & close-up photography every Monday (starts Sunday at 5 pm PST) and runs through Thursday evening. Would love for you to come share with us. It's on my lifestyle blog, allthevs.com
ReplyDeleteOn the topic of plants, have you read "Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother & Other Biological Atrocities" by Amy Stewart? Very good book. I loved it. Informative and interesting. She has also recently published Wicked Bugs, which I'm about halfway through. Neither are books that bash the subjects, despite the names.
Thank you... and I will have to check out your Macro Monday Mixer blog party... thank you. :)
DeleteI have not read the books... thank you for telling me about them. :) I probably would have avoided them because of the name.... good to know they have good information in them. It was nice to have you visit.
I have some Columbine in my yard that continue to reproduce. They are a beautiful flower.
ReplyDeleteThey sure are... and it is so nice to have them come up on their own... with no work from me. :)
DeleteI love columbine, especially the red and yellow ones 'cause they grew wild in the woods on our farm when I was growing up.
ReplyDeleteThat would be fun to find them growing wild in the woods. :) I do like them also... I don't have yellow ones... that would be pretty. :)
DeleteVery beautiful! Columbines are one of those plants that thrive in our climate. I'm always interested in learning of plants medicinal uses also. You never know when that knowledge may come in handy!
ReplyDeleteJane
I agree... I like to learn it and store it away in my head (or in a notebook!) so that I have options when I need them..... there are so many possibilities of good plants, but we need to do the research BEFORE we actually need them. :) I really like the columbines... and this year, they are thriving here also... BUT it is probably because we have had a LOT of rain in the last couple of weeks. I am loving having so many of the flowers this year. :)
DeleteI would not have recognized that first bloom as being a columbine - thanks for the education.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-walk-on-beach.html
I was surprised to find out that there are actually so many different kinds of columbine... and I found it interesting that they can naturally become hybrids. :) Thank you for visiting... it was nice to have you. :)
DeleteAs a young girl my family went camping a lot and I was always looking for mountain columbines, I would find them in lots of colors but mostly like your first photo. Hope you can stop by, http://ohmyheartsiegirl.com/heartsie-girls-wordless-wednesday-14/
ReplyDeleteI have never seen them in the mountains... that would be a treat! I sure enjoy having them in my yard. :) Thank you for visiting... and I am planning to stop in at the party. :)
DeleteWow, so many beautiful flowers. The first one is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many varieties right here in my yard... I love it. Usually, I only get 2 varieties... I think it must be all of the rain we have been having that has allowed more of them to grow this year. :)
DeleteBeautiful columbine!
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful... such a nice variety also. :)
DeleteColumbines are so beautiful, aren't they? They are our state flower and they look so lovely on the mountainside. Thanks for joining the party today. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThey really are... another reader commented on seeing them on the mountainsides... that sounds so lovely. :)
DeleteI love columbines, they're so pretty and delicate. I knew that they self seeded, but I didn't know that the combined with others to make new colors all on their own, that's fabulous! I most likely won't be using the plant for any of the uses you listed, but I will be watching out now to see what fun color combinations it comes up with. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I will be making use of those ideas for using Columbine, either... I just enjoy it as a beautiful plant and flower.... but I do like knowing it is there for other uses, if I need it. :) Thank you for visiting.
DeleteBeautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSarah
Thank you... I'm glad you visited. :)
DeleteWhat a beauty!
ReplyDeleteThank you... I am sure enjoying them. :)
DeleteVery beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing at So Much at Home.
ReplyDeleteThank you... and thank you for the wonderful blog party. :)
DeleteI do love your photos. I have some of the wild orange columbines in my yard, but have never seen any other colors growing in the wooods near us.
ReplyDeleteThank you... I think it is so fun to see the varieties... I have had the dark purple ones before, although I think the flower is differently shaped this year. The others are newer here... and I haven't planted them. A nice surprise. :)
DeleteGreat post. That was so interesting. I didn't realize there are so many different colors. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteThank you... I hadn't either until I started researching... what a creative God we serve! :)
DeleteI love columbine, my grandma gave me seeds when we moved here & every year it seems I get a new color or two.
ReplyDeleteThat's great.... I am glad to hear of someone else who is seeing this... it is so fun... and I had never heard of it before.... until I did the research and my different varieties started to make sense. :)
DeleteThese are so beautiful! Thanks for linking up and sharing with us at Funtastic Friday. Hope you will join us again this week.
ReplyDeleteThank you... they sure are pretty this year. :)
DeleteWhat beautiful flowers, I have always loved these, but I have never thought that they had other uses. Thank you so much for enlightening me and for sharing at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to find it also... and just checked on it because..... I do that for so many things. :) I sure was glad to find it. Thank you for stopping by.
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