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Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia
Aquilegia caerulea James
Colorado blue columbine, Rocky Mountain columbine
Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)
Synonyms: Aquilegia coerulea
USDA Symbol: aqca2
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
The large, upright, blue and white flowers of this popular wildflower are long-spurred and rise above deeply cut, light-green foliage. This short-lived perennial grows 1-2 ft. tall.
Colorados state flower. Popular in cultivation, with several color phases and doubled flowers. Hybridization with other species has produced further cultivated variants. Phases in the wild with pale or white sepals are frequent. A species with blue sepals and white petal tips, but only 2-8 (5-20 cm) tall, is Alpine Blue Columbine (A. saximontana), whose blue spurs are hooked at the tip; it grows high in the Colorado mountains.
The genus name Aquilegia comes from the Latin aquila which means eagle and refers to the spurred petals that many believe resemble an eagles talons.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Root Type: Tap
Leaf: Green
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: BlueBloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug
Distribution
USA: AZ , CO , ID , MT , NM , NV , SD , UT , WYNative Distribution: Mts. of s.w. MT & c. ID to n. NM & AZ
Native Habitat: Moist woods; open, mountain meadows
Growing Conditions
Water Use: MediumLight Requirement: Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Moist, talus & rocky soils.
Conditions Comments: Rocky Mountain columbine can be susceptible to aphids when grown in open areas. Most columbine hybrids have this species as one parent. While an individual plant may live only 4-5 years, once established, the plant will self-seed. As one goes north or west from Colorado the blue color of this species becomes less pronounced, until finally the flowers are white or cream. Also, those flowers found naturally at higher altitudes tend to be more colorful than those at lower elevations.
Benefit
Use Wildlife: Provides nectar for long-tongued insects and hummingbirds.Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Propagation
Description: Sow seeds outside in fall or divide mature plants in late summer or early fall. Seeds need light to germinate, so scratch only lightly into the soil.Seed Collection: Seeds may ripen and be shed before the pod has turned brown. If seeds in greenish follicles are black, they are ready to collect. Cut the fruiting stalk and keep in a dry bag for a few days until the seeds shake free.
Seed Treatment: Chilling in moist sand for 2 months will accelerate germination.
Commercially Avail: yes
Find Seed or Plants
Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:Tohono Chul Park, Inc. - Tucson, AZ
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
From the Archive
Wildflower Newsletter 1989 VOL. 6, NO.3 - Butterfly Gardens, Director\'s Report, Proper Care Gives Staying Power to Cut Fl...Wildflower Newsletter 1993 VOL. 10, NO.1 - Protecting Trees During Construction, Partnership of Developers and Contractors ...
Recommended Species Lists
Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.
View Recommended Species pageAdditional resources
USDA: Find Aquilegia caerulea in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Aquilegia caerulea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Aquilegia caerulea
Metadata
Record Modified: 2010-09-08Research By: TWC Staff
