Columbine Meadow Rue
Thalictrum aquilegiifolium
(tha-LIK-trum) (ak-wil-egg-ee-FOH-lee-um)

This self-sower’s foliage does look like a Columbine. It is on a bigger scale as this plant can get up to 5 feet tall. It is very graceful and has strong stems, so no staking. I started with a dozen plants and have many more than that now. It is planted alongside a small pond with a terrace and it made itself at home. It isn’t too much work to keep the patch going and under control. Some of the area is quite moist with not so great drainage and it doesn’t seem to stop this plant from putting on a good show.

Thalictrum is a genus of flowering plant with about 130 species. It is in the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) and not related to the rues.