Columbine

Bloom time: Mid-spring to early summer.

Columbine flowers have pronounced spurs which extend out behind each bloom. These are nectaries, and are only accessible to insects with the correct equipment to harvest from them. The flowers were thought to resemble eagles' claws, and so were given the Latin name Aquilegia - for aquila is Latin for eagle. Although some parts of the plant (notably the seeds and roots) are toxic, it's a favoured plant for growing in partially shady, damp, or high altitude situations. European columbine has been in cultivation for hundreds of years, and references to the plant routinely appear in Shakespeare's plays.