Columbine ‘Texas Gold’

Dappled shade in summer, sun in winter. A cool-season perennial, with bushy foliage resembling maidenhair fern, it grows leaves in fall, winter and spring, going dormant in summer. The big, spurred yellow blooms appear in spring.

The native Texas gold columbine grows along rocky streams in West Texas canyons, which gives a clue as to this genus’ preferences: cooler conditions, or, at minimum, shade during hot weather. It can be grown as a perennial in east and south-central Texas as long as it receives some shaded moisture in summer and sun in winter. It’s one of the best blooming natives for semi-shaded spots around the yard, and was named a Texas Superstar in 1993 by Texas A&M University.