Aquilegia vulgaris Leprechaun Gold

Aquilegia vulgaris Leprechaun Gold is a rare and whimsical columbine whose leaves are variegated in dappled and speckled shades of yellow and neon green.

The leaves are  wonderfully marbled, speckled and marbled in tones of gold, yellow and light green.

The flowers, delicate yet intricate, nod gracefully on slender stems, each bloom a miniature lantern of violet or sometimes even blue.

It thrives in almost any condition—shade, partial shade, or full sun—provided the soil is fresh and fertile.

As with all columbines, Aquilegia vulgaris Leprechaun Gold thrives in light, well-drained soil, preferring partial shade to soft morning sun.

It appreciates a cool root run and some moisture during the growing season but dislikes heavy, soggy ground.

Columbines are used as food plants by some butterfly and moth caterpillars, mainly noctuid moths, which are noted for feeding on many poisonous plants without harm.

👨‍🌾GARDENING TIPS👨‍🌾: Aquilegia vulgaris Leprechaun Gold

• • Not drought tolerant, though readily self seeds
  • It prefers ordinary, light, moist soil—its main requirement is freshness > no soggy soil please
  • It thrives in both sunny and shaded locations.
  • ✂️After flowering, cut back the spent blooms to encourage a light second flush and help maintain the vigor of the plant.
  • Looks great with Ajuga reptans ‘Atropurpurea’‘, Persicaria ‘Red Dragon’,  Festuca glauca
  • 🚩Aquilegia seeds and roots are poisonous and will cause stomach irritation if ingested.

Learn more about gardening with Columbine:

• • ENG: A Plot of Gold for Purple Columbine
  • FR: Les Ancolies

The Tale & The Botany: Aquilegia vulgaris Leprechaun Gold

The genus name Aquilegia comes from the Latin aquila, meaning “eagle,” a reference to the curved spurs of the petals that resemble an eagle’s talons.

Another possible etymology for Aquilegia is a derivation from the Latin aquam legere (“to collect water”), aquilegium (a container of water), or aquilex (“dowser” or “water-finder”) in reference to the profusion of nectar in the spurs.

 The most common English-language name, columbine, likely originates in the dove-like appearance of the sepals – the word for dove in Latin is columba.

Evolutionary varied, it was found that Sierra columbine and Crimson columbine each have specifically adapted pollinators, with hawk moths that can pollinate one species usually failing to pollinate the other.

As of 2025, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s Plants of the World Online accepts 130 species

Floral Morphology

The flowers generally have five sepals and five petals, with the petals often forming nectar spurs (tubular extensions that angle or curve backward) that contain nectar.

Some columbine flowers “nod” downward; others are more horizontal or outward facing, depending on species and cultivar

Leaves are “biternate” (i.e. twice ternately divided) at the base, and upper leaves divided into lobed leaflets.

Reproductive Biology

Aquilegia vulgaris Leprechaun Gold readily self-seeds, sometimes passing on its magical foliage pattern to its seedlings — but not all will inherit the gold.