Golden columbine
Aquilegia chrysantha. Family Ranunculaceae. Perennial.
Also called Yellow columbine, Golden-spurred columbine.
Golden columbine is a clump-forming perennial native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Gardeners grow it for its long-spurred yellow flowers, held above delicate foliage in late spring and early summer. Individual plants can be short-lived, but seedlings often replace them where conditions suit.
At a glance
- Sun
- Full sun in cool climates; partial shade, especially afternoon shade, in hot areas.
- Water
- Moderate; keep the root zone evenly moist while establishing and during flowering, without leaving it waterlogged.
- Soil
- Well-drained soil enriched with compost; tolerates sandy or rocky soil if roots have access to moisture.
- Height
- 2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m)
- Spread
- 1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)
- Flowers
- Late spring to early summer; clear yellow flowers with long, slender spurs, sometimes continuing into summer in mild conditions.
- Foliage
- Blue-green leaves divided into rounded, lobed leaflets; foliage may become untidy or die back during hot, dry weather.
- Growth
- Moderate
- Care needed
- Low
The year at a glance
- Pollinators
- Deer resistant
- Cold hardy
- Heat tolerant
- Low allergen
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Fruit | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Toughness
- Fairly tough
Will it suit your garden?
Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.
Full sun is 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, part shade 3 to 6 hours, shade under 3.
How it grows
Planting day
1 ft (0.3 m)
After 1 year
1.6 ft (0.5 m)
After 2 years
2.3 ft (0.7 m)
After 3 years
3 ft (0.9 m)
full size
About 3 years to full size.
From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.
Good to know
- Cats and dogs
- Toxic
- Native to
- the US
- Growth rate
- Moderate
Care
Jobs through the year
- WaterMar–Apr, Sep–Oct, every 14 days
- Water established plants when the root zone dries; newly planted seedlings need more frequent watering.
- WaterMay–Aug, every 7 days
- During dry spells, water deeply to keep roots evenly moist, especially while flowering.
- FeedMar–Apr
- Top-dress lightly with compost; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
- MulchApr
- Apply a thin moisture-conserving mulch, leaving the crown clear.
- DeadheadMay–Jul, every 7 days
- Remove spent flower stems at the base, leaving a few if replacement seedlings are wanted.
- PruneMar, Jul, Oct
- Remove dead or badly damaged foliage without cutting healthy new growth.
- Water deeply during dry spells, particularly while plants are flowering.
- Apply a thin layer of compost in spring; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
- Mulch lightly to conserve moisture, keeping mulch away from the crown.
- Give plants afternoon shade where summers are hot.
- Leave a few seed heads if you want replacement seedlings; remove unwanted seedlings while small.
Pruning. Remove spent flower stems at their base unless you want seed. Cut damaged or dying foliage back after flowering or in autumn, leaving healthy new growth untouched.
Through the year
- Early spring
- Remove dead foliage and top-dress established clumps with compost.
- Spring
- Plant young plants in well-drained soil and water regularly while they establish.
- Late spring
- Check new growth for aphids and remove spent flowers to extend the display.
- Summer
- Water during prolonged dry weather and cut back badly damaged foliage.
- Late summer
- Collect seed as the pods turn brown and begin to split, or leave a few pods to self-sow.
- Autumn
- Sow fresh seed outdoors in pots or a prepared seedbed and remove collapsed foliage.
In the garden
- Plant in small groups through a lightly shaded border so the yellow flowers rise above lower foliage.
- Combine with hardy geraniums and ferns at a woodland edge for contrasting leaf shapes.
- Use with purple-flowered salvias in a sunny border where soil stays reasonably moist.
- Allow scattered seedlings through an informal cottage garden for a loose, natural effect.
Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Woodland, Wildlife garden, Pollinator garden, Southwestern and Romantic rose garden.
Plant it with: Hardy geraniums, Coral bells, Lady's mantle, Woodland phlox, Autumn sage and Lady fern.
Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds in its native range and are visited by long-tongued insects, including bumblebees.
Problems to watch for
- Leaf miners leave pale trails through leaves: remove badly affected leaves; established plants usually tolerate minor damage.
- Aphids cluster on soft shoots and flower stems: wash them off with water and encourage ladybirds and other predators.
- Powdery mildew coats foliage in dry, crowded conditions: improve air circulation, water the soil rather than the leaves, and remove badly affected growth.
- Crown or root rot develops in waterlogged soil: improve drainage and keep the crown clear of wet mulch.
Safety
Do not eat any part. Columbines are considered potentially toxic to people and animals, especially the seeds and roots. Species-specific information for cats, dogs and horses is limited; ingestion may cause digestive upset, and the risk from larger amounts is uncertain. Contact a poison service or veterinarian after suspected ingestion.
Easily confused with
Yellow mountain columbine (Aquilegia flavescens)
Usually has nodding, pale yellow flowers with shorter, distinctly hooked spurs; golden columbine has much longer, straighter spurs.
Long-spurred columbine (Aquilegia longissima)
Also has yellow flowers, but its exceptionally slender spurs commonly reach 4-6 in (10-15 cm), substantially longer than those of golden columbine.
The name
The species name chrysantha means 'golden-flowered', referring to its yellow blooms.
Propagation. Grow from seed, preferably sown fresh outdoors; stored seed may benefit from a period of cold, moist conditions. Seedlings may differ from the parent if other columbines grow nearby. Established plants have deep roots and usually resent division.
Checked against open data
- Accepted botanical name
- Aquilegia chrysantha
- In the US and Canada
- Native in the lower 48 states.
- Native range
- Arizona, Colorado, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.
Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.
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