McKana Giants
What's special about McKana Giants
The classic large-flowered mix — 3 in long-spurred blooms in every pastel and bicolor on 2–3 ft stems.
Growing this variety
McKana Giants follows the same growing basics as Columbine. Variety-specific maturity above; everything else below applies to the whole Columbine family.
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Sow onto damp mix, do not cover. Cold-stratify seed 3–4 weeks in the fridge, or sow outdoors in fall for natural chill. Transplant carefully; taproot resents disturbance. Blooms the second spring after sowing.
Pre-sow treatment
3–4 weeks moist cold stratification required for reliable germination.
Grower's tip
Woodland-edge perennial with nodding spurred flowers loved by hummingbirds. Self-seeds; cross-pollinates freely so colors drift over the years.
Soil preferences
Well-drained garden soil. Native/wildflower species prefer lean soil; cutting flowers prefer richer beds.
6.0–7.0
Work 1 in of compost into beds before sowing. Skip nitrogen fertilizer on wildflowers — it favors foliage over blooms.
Watering
1 in per week during establishment, drought-tolerant once rooted for most species.
Deep, infrequent soakings at the base. Overhead water on ornamentals promotes botrytis and rust.
Overwatered: rotted crowns, mildew, floppy stems. Underwatered: small blooms, curled leaves, quick fade.
Prefers top-watering — Trees are always top-watered — deep slow soak at the drip line, never at the trunk. Bottom-watering only makes sense for nursery seedlings.
Temperature tolerance
60–80°F (16–27°C) ideal for most annuals
50–65°F (10–18°C)
Cool-season annuals (larkspur, poppy, snapdragon) tolerate light frost; warm-season annuals (zinnia, cosmos, marigold) are frost-tender.
Container growing
Possible with the right cultivar
8–14 in (20–35 cm) wide
Compact and dwarf types do best in pots; tall cutting flowers need staking.
Succession planting
Sow cutting flowers (zinnia, cosmos, sunflower) every 3 weeks through midsummer for continuous cut stems.
Detailed harvesting
Cut in early morning when stems are turgid. For cutting varieties, harvest when the bud is just showing color and 1–2 outer petals have opened.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Immediately re-cut stems underwater and place in clean cool water for 4 hrs before arranging. Petals can be dried on screens for potpourri or crafts.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Cut flowers, dried arrangements, pollinator habitat, edible garnishes (borage, nasturtium, calendula, viola).
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Mostly insect-pollinated (outcrossing).
For pure strains, isolate 150–800 ft or bag heads. Wildflower mixes are meant to cross freely.
Stop deadheading favorite blooms; let heads dry brown and rattling on the stem, then collect into a paper bag.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for columbine in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
My McKana Giants Columbine notes
McKana Giants Columbine seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
From your kitchen — grow columbine from what you already have
Deadhead less. Let the best blooms fade and set seed on the plant — that's your next year's packet.
- 1Mark 2–3 of your favorite flowers with a bit of yarn and stop deadheading them.
- 2Wait until the seed head or pod dries fully on the plant — brown, papery, and rattling.
- 3Cut whole heads into a paper bag on a dry day; shake or rub to free seed.
- 4Sieve out chaff and store cool and dry in a labeled envelope.
Storage: 2–5 years for most flower seed.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
Loading…
Other Columbine varieties
Songbird Mix
Year 2Compact 18–24 in series with huge upward-facing blooms in blue, red, pink, and white bicolors.
Black Barlow
Year 2Fully-double spurless blooms in near-black burgundy. Dramatic in mixed borders.
Colorado Blue (A. caerulea)
Year 2The Colorado state flower — sky-blue and white long-spurred native. 18–24 in.
Colorado Blue Columbine (A. caerulea)
Year 2Sky-blue and white long-spurred native of the Rocky Mountains; the Colorado state flower.
Fan Columbine (A. flabellata)
Year 2Compact species with rounded, fan-shaped blue-gray foliage and short-spurred nodding flowers.
Oriental Columbine (A. oxysepala)
Year 2Asian species with long, curved spurs in burgundy and cream.
European Columbine (A. vulgaris)
Year 2Short, branching species with nodding spurred flowers in blue, purple, pink, or white.