Barneby's columbine
Aquilegia barnebyi
Last reviewed: September 2026
Toxicity unknown
Barneby's columbine (Aquilegia barnebyi) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
part shade
Water
low
Size
8"–16" H × 8"–12" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native to
CO, UT
Pollinators
hummingbirds, hawk moths
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Barneby's columbine is a low perennial forb with delicate, blue-green divided leaves and distinctive yellow flowers with red-orange spurs. It grows on rocky shale slopes and outcrops.
Wildlife value
Host plant for Columbine Duskywing.
The long-spurred flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds and hawk moths reaching for nectar deep in the spurs, and the genus is a documented host for the Columbine Duskywing skipper.
Common questions
- How much sun does Barneby's columbine need?
- Barneby's columbine grows best in part shade conditions.
- When does Barneby's columbine bloom?
- Barneby's columbine blooms in May, June, and July.
- Where is Barneby's columbine native?
- Barneby's columbine (Aquilegia barnebyi) is native to CO, UT, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What butterflies or moths does Barneby's columbine host?
- Barneby's columbine is a larval host plant for Columbine Duskywing.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Barneby's columbine? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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