Heirloom

McKana Giants Mix

Aquilegia coerulea

Photo: Andrey Zharkikh from Salt Lake City, USA · Wikimedia Commons · (CC BY 2.0)

Harvest

365d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

3–8

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

1-3 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Showing dates for McKana Giants Mix in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 flower →

Zone Map

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McKana Giants Mix · Zones 3–8

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

Spacing12-18 inches

SoilWell-draining loam, neutral to slightly acidic

WaterHigh — consistent moisture needed

SeasonPerennial

ColorMixed colors including pink, white, yellow, blue, and purple

Size3-3 1/2"

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 1	May – June	July – August	July – September	—
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 8	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 9	January – February	March – April	March – May	—
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	February – April	—
Zone 3	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 4	March – April	June – June	June – July	—
Zone 5	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 6	March – April	May – June	May – July	—

Complete Growing Guide

Well-branched plants produce 3-3 1/2" blooms with long spurs. A great cut to fill the gap between early spring and summer bouquets. Blooms in spring of second year from a spring sowing. Attracts hummingbirds. 1955 All-America Selections Winner and originally introduced by W. Atlee Burpee & Co. Perennial in Zones 3-9. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, McKana Giants Mix is 365 days to maturity, perennial, open pollinated. Notable features: Heirloom, Use for Cut Flowers and Bouquets, AAS (All-America Selections) Winners.

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow Rocky. Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally Dry. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Low. Propagation: Division, Root Cutting, Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

McKana Giants Mix reaches harvest at 365 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 3-3 1/2" at peak.

5-15 follicles containing many seeds

Type: Follicle.

Harvest time: Summer

Storage & Preservation

Cut McKana Giants Mix stems last 7-10 days in a vase with fresh, cool water changed every 2-3 days. Add floral preservative or a homemade mix (a teaspoon of sugar and a few drops of bleach per quart) to extend vase life and prevent bacterial growth. Keep the vase away from ripening fruit, direct sunlight, and heat sources.

For drying, harvest fully mature seed pods in late summer when completely brown and papery. Hang bundles upside-down in a dry, dark, well-ventilated space for 2-3 weeks until pods are brittle. Store dried seed pods in a cool, dry place in paper envelopes (avoid plastic, which traps moisture). Seeds remain viable for 2-3 years when stored this way.

Columbine petals can also be pressed for crafts and arrangements: place fresh petals between newspaper under heavy books for 2-3 weeks in a dry location. For flower preservation in resin or glycerin drying, harvest at peak bloom and follow standard floral preservation techniques. These are primarily ornamental storage methods rather than culinary preservation.

History & Origin

McKana Giants Mix is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: North America, Europe, Asia

Advantages

+Large 3-3.5" blooms with elegant long spurs attract hummingbirds reliably
+Well-branched plants produce abundant flowers ideal for cutting arrangements
+Bridges bloom gap between early spring and summer with reliable flowering
+Award-winning 1955 All-America Selections variety with proven garden performance
+Hardy perennial thriving in wide climate range from Zones 3-9

Considerations

-Requires full year before blooming when spring-sown, testing gardener patience
-Tall plants with long spurs may need staking in windy locations
-Prefers cool climates and dislikes extreme heat and humidity stress
-Seeds need stratification for best germination rates indoors

Companion Plants

The best companions for McKana Giants are plants that share its preference for dappled light and consistent moisture without competing aggressively for either. Astilbe, Bleeding Heart, and Hosta all fit that profile — they settle into 4–6 hours of sun or partial shade, and their root systems don't jostle columbine's shallow crown. Heuchera and Japanese Painted Fern work well at the front of the same border, filling in the gaps at 12–18 inches without swamping it. Lungwort blooms early enough to bridge the gap before columbine gets going in late spring, so you're not staring at bare dirt for long.

Keep Black Walnut out of the picture entirely — the roots and decomposing leaf litter release juglone, a compound toxic enough to collapse columbine's root system before you notice anything is wrong above ground. Mint is a different problem: not toxic, just relentless. It spreads by underground runners and will crowd out a columbine planting within a single season. Fennel does something similar through allelopathy, suppressing nearby perennials without being obvious about it.

Plant Together

Delphinium

Similar growing conditions and creates stunning tall blue spikes that complement columbine colors

Astilbe

Thrives in similar partial shade conditions and provides contrasting feathery texture

Hosta

Excellent foliage companion for shade gardens, similar moisture requirements

Ferns

Natural woodland companions that thrive in same cool, moist, partially shaded conditions

Heuchera

Colorful foliage provides ground cover and thrives in similar cool, moist conditions

Japanese Painted Fern

Silver foliage creates beautiful contrast with columbine flowers in shade gardens

Lungwort

Early spring bloomer that complements columbine season and enjoys similar growing conditions

Bleeding Heart

Classic shade garden companion with similar moisture needs and blooming period

Keep Apart

Black Walnut

Produces juglone toxin that inhibits growth and can kill columbines

Mint

Aggressive spreader that can overwhelm delicate columbine root systems

Fennel

Allelopathic properties inhibit growth of most companion plants including columbines

Pests & Disease Resistance

Common Pests

Columbine sawfly larvae, aphids, spider mites

Diseases

Powdery mildew, root rot, leaf spot

Troubleshooting McKana Giants Mix

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Leaf surfaces coated in white powdery patches, usually appearing mid-summer when heat sets in

Likely Causes

Powdery mildew (Erysiphe aquilegiae) — a fungal disease that thrives in warm days and cool nights with low humidity on the leaf surface
Poor airflow from crowded planting at less than 12-inch spacing

What to Do

1.Cut the whole plant back hard — down to 3-4 inches — after bloom; it will flush fresh, clean foliage
2.Thin plantings so each crown has at least 12 inches of clearance
3.If you want to treat rather than cut back, apply a diluted neem oil spray in the early morning, weekly, until the new growth looks clean

Skeletonized leaves — just the veins left — showing up fast in late spring, mostly on young foliage

Likely Causes

Columbine sawfly larvae (Pristiphora aquilegiae) — pale green caterpillar-like larvae that feed in groups and can strip a plant in a few days

What to Do

1.Hand-pick larvae off the undersides of leaves and drop them in soapy water — they're slow and easy to catch
2.Spray with spinosad if the infestation is heavy; it's effective on sawfly larvae and less disruptive to beneficial insects than broad-spectrum pesticides
3.Cut damaged stems to the ground after bloom; columbine regrows quickly and the second flush usually escapes the worst of sawfly pressure

Crown and roots turning brown and mushy, plant wilting even when soil is moist

Likely Causes

Root rot — most often Phytophthora or Pythium species — triggered by consistently waterlogged soil
Planting in a low spot or clay-heavy bed that holds water after rain

What to Do

1.Dig the plant and check the roots; if more than half are brown and soft, pull and discard it in the trash, not the compost
2.Amend the bed with coarse grit or perlite before replanting, and make sure the crown sits at or just above soil level, not buried
3.Water deeply but infrequently — columbine wants consistent moisture, not standing water; let the top inch of soil dry before watering again

Frequently Asked Questions

Do McKana Giants Mix columbines bloom the first year?▼

No, McKana Giants Mix blooms in spring of the second year when grown from seed sown in spring. To enjoy first-year color, purchase nursery-grown plants in fall or purchase seed and start indoors in late summer/early fall the previous year—this gives them a full cold winter to vernalize, allowing some plants to bloom the following spring. This is a trade-off for the exceptional variety offered by seed-grown plants.

How long do McKana Giants Mix cut flowers last in a vase?▼

With proper care, McKana Giants Mix stems last 7-10 days in the vase. Cut them in early morning when flowers are fully open, remove lower foliage, and place in fresh room-temperature water with floral preservative. Change water every 2-3 days and recut stems at a 45-degree angle every few days to maintain water uptake. Keep vases away from ripening fruit, direct sun, and heat sources to maximize longevity.

Can you grow McKana Giants Mix in containers?▼

Yes, McKana Giants Mix grows well in containers 12-18 inches deep with excellent drainage holes. Use quality potting soil, not garden soil, and space plants 12 inches apart in the container. Water more frequently than in-ground plants since containers dry quickly. Ensure at least 4-6 hours of direct sun daily and provide afternoon shade in hot climates. Container columbines benefit from feeding every 2-3 weeks with diluted liquid fertilizer during the growing season.

What's the difference between McKana Giants Mix and other columbine varieties?▼

McKana Giants Mix stands out for exceptionally large blooms (3-3.5 inches) with distinctively long spurs and a well-branched, vigorous habit—traits that earned it the 1955 All-America Selections award. Many columbine varieties produce smaller 1-2 inch flowers or single stems; McKana Giants Mix naturally produces multiple flowering stems per plant with abundant double and semi-double blooms, making it superior for cut flowers and dramatic garden impact.

Are McKana Giants Mix columbines deer resistant?▼

Columbines are generally avoided by deer due to their toxic foliage and unpalatable taste. While McKana Giants Mix isn't completely deer-proof, they're rarely browsed in areas with moderate deer pressure. In areas with severe deer populations and limited food sources, even columbines may be damaged, but they typically recover quickly and regrow.

How do I save seeds from McKana Giants Mix?▼

Allow several spent flowers to remain on plants until seed pods brown and dry completely—this typically occurs 4-6 weeks after blooming ends. Collect dried pods just before they split open naturally, then dry them further indoors in a paper envelope for 2-3 weeks. Store dried seeds in a cool, dry place in sealed envelopes for 2-3 years of viability. Note: self-crossed seeds will produce diverse colors and flower forms, adding to the 'mix' character of the variety.