Companion plants for Columbine
Columbine blooms from April through June. It wants part shade and moderate water. The 8 companion pairings below each state why the pairing works.
Blooming before Columbine opens
Snowdrop
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; lower at 5 in, for the front of the border.
Camellia
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in midwinter, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; they only overlap in zones 7 to 8.
Witch Hazel
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 10 ft, for the layer behind it.
Taking over as Columbine finishes
Summersweet
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; taller at 6 ft, for the layer behind it.
Cardinal Flower
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Ligularia
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; taller at 4 ft, for the layer behind it.
Northern Sea Oats
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Blooming alongside
Hellebore
Shares part shade and moderate water; opens in late winter and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; both offer pollinator forage.