Aquilegia Songbird Series


These dramatic hybrids have been a long time in development. The Songbird Series was originally the work of Charlie Weddle of Colorado Native Plants, and first introduced in the early 1980s. He originally used plants from the long extablished ‘McKana Giants’ and ‘Mrs Scott Elliot's Strain’ as well as A. caerulea, A. canadensis, A. skinneri, A. californica and A. chrysantha and perhaps A. longissima. When he died in 1986 his stocks were bought by PanAmerican Seed, refined and upgraded, and re-introduced in the late 1980s. The series has since been expanded and quietly upgraded over the years under the guidance of breeder Dr Ellen Leue.

North American name	British name
‘Bluebird’	‘Bluebird’	Picture
'Blue Jay'	'Blue Jay
‘Bunting'	‘Bunting'
'Dove’	'Dove’	Picture
‘Goldfinch’	‘Goldfinch’
‘Lavender and White’ (now dropped)	‘Nuthatch	Picture
‘Nightingale’	‘Skylark’
'Red Wing'	'Cardinal'	Picture
‘Robin’	‘Robin’
Not available in North America	‘Chaffinch’	Picture

Where the British and North American names differ it is not yet clear which name has precedance.

Award winners in the recent trial were:
‘Dove’
‘Chaffinch’

Close to an award were:
‘Skylark’



In Britain plants and seeds are available to home gardeners from Three Counties Nursery, who introduced them and popularised them in Britain, Mr Fothergills Seeds, Nicky’s Nursery and perhaps other mail order seed companies.

In North America seed and plants are available from a number of cources. Search the web for Aquilegia Songbird here.


Main Aquilegia page
Aquilegia trial
Aquilegia Swan Series/States Series
Aquilegia Origami Series/Butterfly Series