Bloomipedia
Blue columbine (Aquilegia coerulea)
Photo: Timon T. K. via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Blue columbine

Aquilegia coerulea

★ Official state flower of Colorado (1899)Native in the lower 48

Blue columbine is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.

9states
3of our state lists
13,499U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming

🏅
Colorado's official state flower since 1899. Visit the Colorado page → C.R.S. § 24-80-905 Colorado law (C.R.S. § 24-80-907) makes it illegal to uproot it on public land, to pick more than 25 stems, buds or blossoms there in one day, or to pick it on private land without the owner's permission.

Quick look

Aquilegia coerulea, commonly called the Colorado columbine, Rocky Mountain columbine, or blue columbine, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family, native to the Rocky Mountains in the western United States. It is a moderate sized wildflower that grows in mountainous areas from the foothills to above timberline. The flowers are mainly pollinated by bumblebees and several species of hawkmoths.

  • It belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 9 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. NatureServe
  • In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
  • In Utah, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as blue. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 2 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 10,355 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #2 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,479 research-grade sightings of it in Utah, ranking #26 among the 109 flowers on our Utah list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 915 research-grade sightings of it in Wyoming, ranking #17 among the 107 flowers on our Wyoming list. iNaturalist

Blue columbine gift ideas

Handmade blue columbine gifts from independent makers.

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (6,365 records)
Bloom time in each of our 3 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
ColoradoNativeJune–August10,355
UtahNativeJune–August1,479
WyomingNativeJune–August915

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
Utah
No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Utah.
Wyoming
No list Wyoming has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Wyoming ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Wyoming.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AZ (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records blue columbine in 9 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Alamosa, Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Conejos, Custer, Delta, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jackson, Jefferson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Mesa, Mineral, Montezuma, Montrose, Otero, Ouray, Park, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, San Juan, San Miguel, Teller.

Utah counties with USDA records: Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber.

Wyoming counties with USDA records: Albany, Big Horn, Carbon, Fremont, Hot Springs, Lincoln, Park, Sublette, Sweetwater, Teton, Uinta.

More Colorado flowers

Sources