Zone 8 · winter lows 10°F to 20°F
Aquilegia for Zone 8
53 Aquilegia varieties rated hardy through Zone 8, ranked by how many gardeners actually grow them. Zone 8 is mild winters open the door to broadleaf evergreens and early bloom.
The Aquilegia that thrive in Zone 8
#1 most savedColumbine Mix
Aquilegia x hybrida 'Mix'
#2 most savedColumbine Double Flowers
Aquilegia vulgaris 'Double Flowers'
#3 most savedMelba Higgins Columbine
Aquilegia x hybrida 'Melba Higgins'

Columbine McKana Hybrids
Aquilegia vulgaris 'McKana Hybrids'

Biedermeier Columbine
Aquilegia vulgaris 'Biedermeier'

Tequila Sunrise Columbine
Aquilegia x hybrida 'Tequila Sunrise'

Eastern Red Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis

Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis 'Corbett'

Common Columbine
Aquilegia vulgaris

Butterfly Columbine Mix
Aquilegia x hybrida 'Butterfly Columbine Mix'

Songbird Columbine
Aquilegia Songbird

Eastern Columbine Little Lanterns
Aquilegia canadensis 'Little Lanterns'

Variegated Columbine
Aquilegia vulgaris 'Aureo-Variegata'

Colorado Blue Columbine
Aquilegia caerulea

Columbine Blue and White
Aquilegia x hybrida 'Blue and White'

Winky Rose Columbine
Aquilegia vulgaris 'Winky Rose'

Winky Double Red and White Columbine
Aquilegia viridis 'Winky Double Red and White'

Fan Columbine
Aquilegia flabellata

Flore Pleno Golden Columbine
Aquilegia chrysantha 'Flore Pleno'

Aquilegia Yellow
Aquilegia x hybrida 'Yellow'

BSWJ 7965 Rock's Columbine
Aquilegia rockii 'BSWJ 7965'

Rocky Mountain Columbine
Aquilegia caerulea 'Rose Queen'

Aquilegia Songbird Blue Jay
Aquilegia x hybrida 'Songbird Blue Jay'

Desert Columbine
Aquilegia desertorum
Showing the 24 most-saved of 53 Zone 8–hardy Aquilegia varieties. See the full Aquilegia list →
Aquilegia in Zone 8
Will Aquilegia survive a Zone 8 winter?
53 of the 58 Aquilegia varieties in the Sow catalog are rated hardy through Zone 8, where winter lows reach 10°F to 20°F. Hardiness is per-variety, not per-genus — the plants listed above are the ones that hold up; others in the genus are not rated for this zone.
When should I plant Aquilegia in Zone 8?
In Zone 8 the last spring frost typically lands around late March and the first fall frost around mid-November. Planting after the last frost — or in early fall, so roots establish before the ground cools — gives the best establishment. Each plant page lists its own planting months.
Which Aquilegia is best for Zone 8?
Start at the top of the list above: it is ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow each variety, which is a strong real-world reliability signal. Then narrow by your sun exposure and the mature size that fits the bed.
Keep exploring
All Aquilegia
Aquilegia in other zones
See Aquilegia in your Zone 8 yard
Snap a photo of your space and Sow places these varieties in it at true mature size — then keeps the care schedule for everything you plant.