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Aquilegia chrysantha is often confused with:
Aquilegia canadensis Aquilegia canadensis
Native alternative(s) for Aquilegia chrysantha:
Aquilegia canadensis Aquilegia canadensis
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Clematis integrifolia Plant form
Syringa oblata Syringa oblata Growth habit
Verbena canadensis Verbena canadensis

Canary Columbine Aquilegia chrysantha

Phonetic Spelling
ah-kwih-LEE-jee-ah kris-ANTH-uh
Description

Golden Columbine is a perennial wildflower native to the western U.S.A. and Mexico. It is a spring bloomer, in full sun to part shade with flowers that are good for cutting. Each flower petal has a backward-pointing spur. It tolerates a wide range of soils and is resistant to damage from deer or rabbits. Cutting the flower stalks may encourage further blooming. It will reseed in the garden but will hybridize with other Columbines if grown too close together.

Crown-rot can occur in poorly drained soils. This plant will not be very tolerant of the hot humid summer areas of the southeast. Consider growing Aquilegia canadensis instead.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • ‘Yellow Queen’
    Earned the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit
‘Yellow Queen’
Tags:
#gold#hummingbird friendly#showy flowers#full sun tolerant#interesting flowers#spring flowers#rabbit resistant#rock garden#partial shade tolerant#perennial
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • ‘Yellow Queen’
    Earned the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit
‘Yellow Queen’
Tags:
#gold#hummingbird friendly#showy flowers#full sun tolerant#interesting flowers#spring flowers#rabbit resistant#rock garden#partial shade tolerant#perennial
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Aquilegia
    Species:
    chrysantha
    Family:
    Ranunculaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Utah to Mexico
    Distribution:
    AZ, CO, NM, TX, UT
    Wildlife Value:
    Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Semi-evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
    Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Loam (Silt)
    Soil pH:
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    3 feet-6 feet
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Type:
    Follicle
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Fruit is a green to dark grey follicle
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Spike
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Good Cut
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Tubular
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    The up to 3 inch long yellow flowers are held mostly erect and appear in spring with five pointed yellow sepals and five yellow petals with backward-pointing spurs. There are many yellow stamens in the center. Blooms April-Sept.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Semi-evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Smooth
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Obovate
    Palmatifid
    Leaf Margin:
    Lobed
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    The semi-evergreen fern-like green leaves have three leaflets with three lobes. The leaflets are 1.5 inches long
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Cross Section:
    Round
    Stem Surface:
    Smooth (glabrous)
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Small Space
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Cutting Garden
    Fairy Garden
    Rock Garden
    Shade Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Small groups
    Attracts:
    Hummingbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Heat
    Rabbits