When to Plant Columbine — Planting Calendar by USDA Zone

📅 Planting Calendar by USDA Zone

Select your zone to highlight your exact planting dates. Dates are calculated from each zone's average frost dates.

Your USDA Hardiness Zone:

Zone	Last Frost	Start Indoors	Transplant	Direct Sow
Zone 2A	May 30	Mar 21	May 2	Apr 18
Zone 3B	May 15	Mar 6	Apr 17	Apr 3
Zone 4A	May 8	Feb 27	Apr 10	Mar 27
Zone 4B	May 1	Feb 20	Apr 3	Mar 20
Zone 5A	Apr 25	Feb 14	Mar 28	Mar 14
Zone 5B	Apr 18	Feb 7	Mar 21	Mar 7
Zone 6A	Apr 21	Feb 10	Mar 24	Mar 10
Zone 6B	Apr 10	Jan 30	Mar 13	Feb 27
Zone 7A	Apr 5	Jan 25	Mar 8	Feb 22
Zone 7B	Mar 28	Jan 17	Feb 28	Feb 14
Zone 8A	Mar 20	Jan 9	Feb 20	Feb 6
Zone 8B	Mar 12	Jan 1	Feb 12	Jan 29
Zone 9A	Feb 28	Dec 20	Jan 31	Jan 17
Zone 9B	Feb 15	Dec 7	Jan 18	Jan 4
Zone 10A	Feb 1	Nov 23	Jan 4	Dec 21
Zone 10B	Jan 15	Nov 6	Dec 18	Dec 4
Zone 11A	Jan 1	Oct 23	Dec 4	Nov 20

Columbines are elegant, woodland-edge perennials with distinctive spurred flowers beloved by hummingbirds and long-tongued bumblebees.

Self-seeds freely and naturalizes; new seedlings often create unexpected color combinations
Drought-tolerant once established; prefers partial shade in hot climates
Cut back foliage to ground after flowering — fresh new leaves emerge
Hummingbirds are primary pollinators of long-spurred species
Short-lived perennial (3-5 years) but self-seeds to maintain colony

Good companions: ferns, hostas, bleeding heart, astilbe

Avoid planting near: Hot, dry, full-sun sites in zones 7+

Ornamental; harvest seed pods when mature for replanting

🌸 When to Plant Columbine