Red Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

8×10″ Cochineal insect ink, redbud flower ink, lilac flower ink, lichen ink, and pen on paper

While on a fieldtrip with our Smith College student plant group, we were walking along a stream when I spotted tiny red specks on the mossy embankment across the water. Crossing over, we discovered a cliffside draped in moss, alive with the delicate blooms of red columbine. Their intricate flowerheads were perched on long, thin stems and their vibrant red petals contrasted beautifully with the green backdrop. As a native plant of woodlands and rocky slopes, red columbine is known for its unique, tubular flowers and its role in attracting hummingbirds and tongued insects, which feed on its nectar.