Double Take Columbine is a showstopping perennial that transforms the spring garden with its intricate, many-layered flowers that seem almost too elaborate to be real. Named after Nora Barlow, the granddaughter of Charles Darwin, this Barlow-line columbine produces dahlia-like blooms in soft ombre shades of pink and white on sturdy, straight stems that reach 24 to 36 inches tall. Hardy in zones 3 through 9, it's a late bloomer in the columbine world, flowering in its second year, but the wait is worth it for cut flower gardeners and those seeking something genuinely unforgettable in the perennial border.
12
Partial Shade
Moderate
3-3
36in H x 18in W
—
Moderate
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The flowers themselves are the draw here: many-layered petals arranged in an intricate pattern that resembles a clematis more than a traditional columbine, with a soft pink and white ombre effect that deepens the longer you look at it. Cut flower growers prize Double Take specifically for those sturdy, straight stems that hold up beautifully in arrangements and don't require the staking many tall perennials demand. This is a plant that rewards patience, since it won't bloom until its second year, but once it does, you'll understand why gardeners keep returning to it.
Double Take Columbine is prized by cut flower growers and gardeners designing perennial borders where its tall, sturdy stems and intricate blooms serve as focal points. The straight stems make it particularly valuable for floral arrangements, where the dahlia-like flowers provide texture and sophistication that shorter columbine varieties cannot match.
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Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last frost date. Cold stratify seeds for best germination, as this breaks dormancy and improves seedling vigor.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after your last frost date once they have developed true leaves and hardened off gradually to outdoor conditions.
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“Double Take Columbine belongs to the prestigious Barlow line, a group of double-flowered columbines named in honor of Nora Barlow, the granddaughter of Charles Darwin. The Barlow columbines represent a fascinating moment in horticultural history when these ornamental variations caught the attention of one of science's most notable families, cementing the group's status among serious gardeners. This particular cultivar carries that lineage forward, preserving not just a flower but a connection to botanical history and the Darwin family's horticultural interests.”