Bloomipedia
Western columbine (Aquilegia formosa)
Photo: crothfels via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Western columbine

Aquilegia formosa

Western columbine (Aquilegia formosa) is a flowering plant in the Ranunculaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Western columbine is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 5 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.

9states where USDA records it
5Bloomipedia state lists include it
28,132U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alaska, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington

Quick look

Aquilegia formosa, the crimson columbine, western columbine, sitka columbine, or (ambiguously) "red columbine", is a common wildflower native to western North America, from Alaska to Baja California, and eastward to Montana and Wyoming.

  • 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 California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Nevada. NatureServe
  • In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–July. iNaturalist
  • In Oregon, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as red. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 3 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 16,394 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #42 among the 178 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 5,114 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #19 among the 184 flowers on our Oregon list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,996 research-grade sightings of it in Washington, ranking #39 among the 187 flowers on our Washington list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (9,206 records)
Bloom time in the 5 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
CaliforniaNativeApril–July16,394
OregonNativeMay–July5,114
WashingtonNativeMay–July3,996
AlaskaNativeJune–July1,278
NevadaNativeJune–August822

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
California
Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in California. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
Oregon
Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oregon. OAR 603-073-0070
Washington
No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Washington.
Alaska
No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alaska.
Nevada
Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Nevada. NAC 527.010
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: WY (S1). (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 Western columbine in 9 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

California counties with USDA records: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Kern, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yuba.

Oregon counties with USDA records: Baker, Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler, Yamhill.

Washington counties with USDA records: Asotin, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, Yakima.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Western columbine a low shade tolerance, medium drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 6.0 to 7.5 and winter lows down to -23 °F.

Shade tolerance
Low
Drought tolerance
Medium
Moisture use
Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, medium
Soil pH range
6.0 to 7.5
Minimum temperature tolerated
-23 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
100
Annual precipitation range
15 to 60 inches
Minimum root depth
6 inches
Salinity tolerance
None
Fertility requirement
Low
Growth rate
Rapid
Lifespan
Short
Active growth period
Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed
Brown · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by
container, seed
Commercial availability
Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for AQFO. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Alaska: Native; Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Aquilegia fosteri, Aquilegia mohavensis, Aquilegia shockleyi.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 148 counties across 8 states; the most are in California (47), Oregon (32), Washington (32).

Other Aquilegia on Bloomipedia (5): Red columbine, Blue columbine, Golden columbine, Yellow columbine, Western red columbine.

More from the Ranunculaceae family (48 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lesser celandine, Rue anemone, Wood anemone, Marsh marigold, White baneberry, Round-lobed hepatica, Red baneberry, Sharp-lobed hepatica.

More California flowers

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California buckwheat

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Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)

Toyon

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Sources