woodland wildflower
Blue columbine
Aquilegia coerulea
Also known as Colorado Blue Columbine, Rocky Mountain Columbine
1 of 3Native to Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming
Mountains of southwestern Montana and central Idaho to northern New Mexico and Arizona
- Light Full shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Moist Moisture preference
- Zones n/a Cold to heat range
- Bloom Jun–Aug Flowering time
- Height up to 30 in to 76 cm
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A woodland wildflower for full shade and evenly moist soil. Its white and blue flowers peak in July. At up to 30 in, it suits shade gardens and woodland edges.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
When it blooms
The Blue columbine's white and blue flowers bloom June to August, peaking in July. This midsummer display draws bees and butterflies.
Blue columbine blooms white & blueFoliage
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Hunt's Bumble Bee
also Two-form Bumble Bee, Indiscriminate Cuckoo Bumble Bee, Orange-tipped Wood-digger +1 more
Western Bumble Bee - Butterflies Orange Sulphur
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Orange sulphurnectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and WyomingUnited States (8): AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Mountains of southwestern Montana and central Idaho to northern New Mexico and ArizonaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Soil
- Moist, talus & rocky soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- 6.2–8.4The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 30 in (to 76 cm)Typical mature height.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 10+ in (25+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Jun–AugWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- White, BlueThe bloom color, or colors.
- Fruit/Seeds
- Cluster of dry follicles; ripens Jun–AugThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- SeedHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.4 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- ModerateHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.