Species › Plants › Colorado Blue Columbine

Colorado Blue Columbine

Aquilegia coerulea

CommonPlant
Illustration of Colorado Blue Columbine (Aquilegia coerulea)

Colorado Blue Columbine is the state flower of Colorado, producing spectacular blue-and-white blossoms in mountain meadows from June through August. Its long nectar spurs are adapted for hawk moths and broad-tailed hummingbirds. It grows at elevations from 6,000 to over 11,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains.

Habitat
Mountain meadows and aspen groves of the southern Rocky Mountains
Diet
Nectar consumed by broad-tailed hummingbirds and hawk moths
How common
Common

Best time to see a Colorado Blue Columbine

The best time to see a Colorado Blue Columbine is June–July, when about 82% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 17,809 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Not certain it is a Colorado Blue Columbine? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

Recent Colorado Blue Columbine sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

Spotted a Colorado Blue Columbine?

Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal and know for sure - plus a live map of where it is being spotted near you.

Get Huck - free
5,300+species
63national parks
50states

More plants

Columbia Lily
Columbia Lily
Lilium columbianum
Common Bladderwort
Common Bladderwort
Utricularia vulgaris
Common Blue Violet
Common Blue Violet
Viola sororia
Common Boneset
Common Boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Common Buckthorn
Common Buckthorn
Rhamnus cathartica
Common Burdock
Common Burdock
Arctium minus
Common Butterwort
Common Butterwort
Pinguicula vulgaris
Common Camas
Common Camas
Camassia quamash