The Crimson Columbine or Western Columbine, Aquilegia formosa, is a common and attractive wildflower native to western North America, from Alaska to Baja California, and eastward to Montana and Wyoming. It is very often known as the "Red Columbine", but because this name is also used for a number of other members of the genusAquilegia, it is not recommended.
Within its range, the Crimson Columbine can be found in most kinds of habitat (chaparral, oak woodland, mixed-evergreen or coniferous forest). It is not found on desert floors, nor at altitudes above 3300 metres, and it is absent from the Central Valley of California. It prefers moist locations such as stream banks.
The plant grows to 20-80cm in height, averaging around 60cm. Flowers, which can be seen from April to August (with some variation between regions), are about 5cm long and red and yellow in color. Technically, the red or orange spreading outer parts of the flower are sepals, and the yellow inner parts are the true petals. The petals bear spurs that attract the plant's pollinators, the spinx moths.
External links
Jepson Manual species treatment (http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Aquilegia+formosa)
Images from the CalPhotos archive (http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?text_only=0&display1=image+ID+num&where-calrecnum=430)
It is very often known as the "Red Columbine", but because this name is also used for a number of other members of the genusAquilegia, it is not recommended.
Within its range, the CrimsonColumbine can be found in most kinds of habitat (chaparral, oak woodland, mixed-evergreen or coniferous forest).
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