When there is nitrogen missing from the soil some plants will be less green and even develop a purple-black tinge or coloration, columbines are particularly prone to this symptom, yet I don't see them looking that way in the early spring or late fall when it is cold, so I don't think that is it. I don't think it has anything to do with acid soil or root binding. For the plants you list is is definitely a symptom of growing in cold weather. On penstemon in early spring the new foliage is always a darker red, so it might even have something to do with short daylength versus speed of growth as these are early spring/summer bloomers, but probably is more of something to do with cell respiration in cold weather.
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