The Colorado columbine is our official state flower. And it’s a striking flower, with blue sepals adorned with long spurs, white petals or blades and gold stamens. Its colors supposedly represent Colorado’s big, blue sky, white, snow-covered mountains and the rich deposits of gold found within our state.

Our state flower occurs naturally throughout the mountainous regions of Colorado, northern New Mexico and southern Wyoming and can be found blooming as early as June. Look for pockets of wild columbines in mountain meadows or aspen groves. In the wild, the color of the Colorado columbine is remarkably consistent. In my years of tramping these hills, the only variation I have found is some nearly all white individuals growing at elevations above timberline or in southern Wyoming.

The Colorado columbine is a member of the genus Aquilegia, in the buttercup family. About 60-70 different species of columbines are known from Asia, North America and Europe. They come in a variety of colors, ranging from red, yellow, blue, violet and white.

In addition to being striking wildflowers in fields and forests, columbines are popular plants for home gardens. In Europe, several species of columbines have been cultivated in flower gardens for hundreds of years. They can live under a variety of conditions and do well in the open or under partial shade. They prefer porous, slightly alkaline soils and newly planted plants should be watered every other day until established.

Grow two different species of columbines in the same garden and they are likely to cross pollinate. The seeds they produce will grow plants with characteristics of both parents. The fact that columbine hybridize with ease has been good for plant breeders and gardeners alike. As a result, a huge variety of columbines are available in garden centers. Among gardeners, the Colorado columbine, with its long spurs, is considered to be the columbine. And, thanks to plant breeders, horticultural varieties of our state flower are now available in myriad colors. The variety known as ‘Crimson star’ has red spurs and sepals and cream-colored blades or petals. ‘Rose queen’ has rose sepals and spurs with white blades. Other unnamed varieties are available in hues of white, yellow, violet and the color of copper. Most of these colors have been the result of hybridization with other species of columbines.

Individual Colorado columbine plants will live for about three to four years. After their final year of blooming, the plants suddenly die. They are prolific seeders however, and once a bed of columbines is established, new plants will appear every year. My experience has been that yellow flower color seems to be dominant. After seven to eight years of columbine cultivation, most of the naturally seeded plants in my columbine beds are bright yellow. While the blooms are attractive, I no longer have the variety of colors I once had. To prevent cross pollination, it’s a good idea to prune or “deadhead” the blossoms as soon as they become dry. In addition, if you want to maintain a columbine bed with a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, dead plants may need to be replaced with new varieties each year.

Columbines, in their many varieties and forms, are a great addition to a flower garden. They require relatively little care and produce a rewarding array of striking blossoms in a great variety of colors.

Colorado columbine photo by W.M. Ciesla

The authors have received training through Colorado State University Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.

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This page updated:  August 5, 2008