General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 2 -45.6 °C (-50 °F) to -42.8 °C (-45°F)
Plant Height: 12-36 inches
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Other: Red and yellow, or red with a white throat.
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Spring
Late spring or early summer
Summer
Underground structures: Taproot
Uses: Cut Flower
Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Hummingbirds
Propagation: Seeds: Provide light
Suitable for wintersowing
Sow in situ
Can handle transplanting
Pollinators: Bees
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Conservation status: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation status:
Conservation status: Least Concern
Image
Common names
  • Western Columbine
  • Columbine
  • Crimson Columbine
  • Scarlet Columbine
  • Red Columbine
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Aquilegia formosa
  • Synonym: Aquilegia formosa var. hypolasia
  • Synonym: Aquilegia formosa var. pauciflora
  • Synonym: Aquilegia shockleyi

Photo Gallery
Location: Pacific Northwest zone 8
Date: Summer 2010
Occasionally a solid red one will appear

Date: 2008-06-29
Location: Pacific Northwest zone 8
Date: Jun 5, 2010
Location: Pacific Northwest zone 8
Date: Aug 23, 2009
Location: Illinois, USA.
Date: May
credit: Daniel Schwen

Courtesy of Diane's Flower Seeds
Location: In my garden
Date: 2015-05-03
Location: Botanical Garden Cologne (Germany)
Date: 2017-08-14
Location: Seward Alaska
Date: June 2008
Growing wild in Alaska

Photo courtesy of Annie's Annuals and Perennials

Photo courtesy of Annie's Annuals and Perennials
Location: Lake Twenty-Two Research Natural Area
Date: 2008-07-08
photo credit: Walter Siegmund
Location: Pacific Northwest zone 8
Date: Apr 3, 2010
Location: Western columbine (Aquilegia formosa) at Alpine Lake in Sawtooth Wilderness
Date: 2011-08-25
Photo courtesy of: Miguel Vieira
Location: Crimson columbine (Aquilegia formosa) on Sabrina Basin Trail
Date: 2009-07-28
Photo courtesy of: Miguel Vieira
Location: Native Plants Demonstration Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2016-06-15
Zone 9b.
Location: Olympic National Forest, Hood Canal Ranger District
Date: 2014-06-08
Photo courtesy of: J.Brew
Location: Lake Twenty-Two Research Natural Area
Date: 2008-07-08
photo credit: Walter Siegmund
Location: Native Plants Demonstration Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2016-03-31
Zone 9b.
Comments:
  • Posted by Bonehead (Planet Earth - Zone 8b) on Jan 21, 2019 10:18 AM concerning plant:
    Native in the Pacific NW, found in moist open to shady meadows, rocky slopes, clearings. I call this Rainy Pass columbine, which seems to be a good spot for them to grow. The milky sap of the roots can be macerated and put on wounds to help form a scar; other parts of the plant may be used for diarrhea, dizziness, and aching joints. The common name is derived from columbina, which means 'dove like' to describe the flowers.
Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Not Aquilegia canadensis by growitall Mar 28, 2014 10:47 PM 6

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