woodland wildflower

Western columbine

Aquilegia formosa

Also known as Crimson Columbine, Scarlet Columbine, Red Columbine

Native to the Pacific Coast, the Rockies, and the Southwest and southern Canada

Northern Baja California to Utah, north to southern Alaska and western Alberta

Light Full sun to part shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Dry to moist Moisture preference
Zones 2–10 Cold to heat range
Bloom May–Aug Flowering time
Height up to 3 ft to 0.9 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

Full details, see below

In the garden

A woodland wildflower for full sun to part shade and dry to moist soil. At up to 3 ft, it suits shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 2–10.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Eastern Carpenter Bee

also Western Honey Bee, Brown-belted Bumble Bee, Two-spotted Bumble Bee +23 more
American Bumble Bee, Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, Black-tailed Bumble Bee, Bombus fervidus, Fuzzy-Horned Bumble Bee, Two-form Bumble Bee, Half-black Bumble Bee, Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee, Agapostemon texanus, California Bumble Bee, Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, Flat-tailed Leafcutter Bee, Great Basin Bumble Bee, Rusty-patched Bumble Bee, Sitka Bumble Bee, White-shouldered Bumble Bee, Morrison's Bumble Bee, Ceratina dupla, Cresson's Sweat Bee, Triepeolus simplex, Lasioglossum cinctipes, Andrena sp., Coelioxys alternata
Butterflies Spicebush Swallowtail

also Western Tiger Swallowtail, Canadian Tiger Swallowtail, Pale Swallowtail +2 more
Papilio cresphontes, Zerene eurydice
Hummingbirds Anna's Hummingbird also Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird
Also visited by
- Moths:
  
  Ipsilon Dart Moth, Maple Clearwing Moth +1 more
  Dusky-patched Dicymolomia
- Flower flies: Common Dainty, Western Forest Sedgesitter
- Birds: Hermit Thrush

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: The Pacific Coast, the Rockies, and the Southwest and southern CanadaUnited States (9): AK, CA, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY. Canada (3): AB, BC, YT. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Northern Baja California to Utah, north to southern Alaska and western AlbertaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Full sun to part shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: Dry to moistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 2–10 · Canadian 0–9The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Moist, rocky soils, but will grow in dry, nutrient poor soilThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 6.0–7.5The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: LowHow 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: LowHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 3 ft (to 0.9 m)Typical mature height.
Spread: ~2 ft (0.5 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: RapidA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 6+ in (15+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: May–AugWhen it flowers.
Flower color: Red, YellowThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: Cluster of dry folliclesThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Container, seedHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~0.2 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: RapidHow 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.