Southwestern Yellow Columbine Aquilegia chrysantha
Other Common Name(s):
- 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’
- ‘Yellow Queen’
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- ‘Yellow Queen’
Earned the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit
- ‘Yellow Queen’
- ‘Yellow Queen’
- Tags:
-
-
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.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer and rabbit resistant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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-
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
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-
Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Follicle
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is a green to dark grey follicle
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-
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.
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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
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-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
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-
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
