Plant Profile: Aquilegia scopulorum

Taxonomy: Aquilegia scopulorum

Names

Utah Columbine

  • Photo of Aquilegia scopulorum (Aquilegia scopulorums)

Phonetic Spelling:a-kwi-LEE-jee-a skoh-pew-LOR-um

Genus:Aquilegia

Species:scopulorum

Family:Ranunculaceae

Utah Columbine thrives in the rugged terrains, woodlands, and meadows of Utah and Nevada's mountainous regions. In spring, it showcases a lush mound of foliage adorned with medium blue flowers featuring long spurs, all supported by short stems. This plant also produces a moderate rebloom throughout the summer and into the fall.

For optimal growth, Utah Columbine prefers well-drained soils, particularly those low in nitrogen or clay that can dry out. While it favors partial shade, it can also flourish in full sun if adequately irrigated. This species is an excellent choice for rock gardens but is not suited for areas with hot, humid summers.

Aquilegia scopulorum Feature Summary

Aquilegia scopulorum Image Gallery

Tags

#showy flowers
#drought tolerant
#low growing
#blue flowers
#showy leaves
#spreading
#forests
#rock gardens
#partial shade tolerant
#meadows
#woodlands
#crevice garden
#reblooming

Similar Plants

Aquilegia scopulorum Feature Summary

Attributes
Nevada and Utah
Attracts bees and hummingbirds
Perennial
Flowers
Blue and white to occasionally purplish long spurred flowers bloom in spring with reblooming during the summer.
Purple/Lavender
White
Blue
Spring
Summer
Funnel
Trumpet
Leaves
Densely packed blue-green biternate leaves are compound and basal. Glabrous above and slightly glaucous below.
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Entire
Lobed
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Wildflower
Dense
Spreading
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Less than 12 inches
Mountains
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Fruit
Follicle
< 1 inch
Landscape
Rock Garden
Woodland
Meadow
Rock Wall
Bees
Hummingbirds

Aquilegia scopulorum Attributes

Aquilegia scopulorum: Country Or Region Of Origin

Western USA

Aquilegia scopulorum: Distribution

Nevada and Utah

Aquilegia scopulorum: Wildlife Value

Attracts bees and hummingbirds

Aquilegia scopulorum: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Aquilegia scopulorum: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Aquilegia scopulorum Flowers

Aquilegia scopulorum: Flower Description

Blue and white to occasionally purplish long spurred flowers bloom in spring with reblooming during the summer.

Aquilegia scopulorum: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue
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Purple/Lavender
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White

Aquilegia scopulorum: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Aquilegia scopulorum: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Aquilegia scopulorum: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Aquilegia scopulorum Leaves

Aquilegia scopulorum: Leaf Description

Densely packed blue-green biternate leaves are compound and basal. Glabrous above and slightly glaucous below.

Aquilegia scopulorum: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Aquilegia scopulorum: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Aquilegia scopulorum: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Aquilegia scopulorum: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Aquilegia scopulorum: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Aquilegia scopulorum Whole Plant Traits

Aquilegia scopulorum: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Aquilegia scopulorum: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Aquilegia scopulorum: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Aquilegia scopulorum: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Aquilegia scopulorum: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Aquilegia scopulorum Cultural Conditions

Aquilegia scopulorum: 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)

Aquilegia scopulorum: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Aquilegia scopulorum: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Aquilegia scopulorum: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Aquilegia scopulorum: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Aquilegia scopulorum Fruit

Aquilegia scopulorum: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Aquilegia scopulorum: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Aquilegia scopulorum: Fruit Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Aquilegia scopulorum Stem

Aquilegia scopulorum: Stem Color

grass
Green

Aquilegia scopulorum: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Aquilegia scopulorum Landscape

Aquilegia scopulorum: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Aquilegia scopulorum: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Aquilegia scopulorum: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Aquilegia scopulorum: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees