When does Colorado blue columbine bloom?

Colorado blue columbine typically blooms from May through July, with exact timing shifting by elevation and how cool the spring has been.

What pollinators are attracted to Colorado blue columbine?

The nectar-rich, spurred flowers draw bees, hummingbirds and butterflies, which can reach the nectar at the base of the long petal spurs.

How much light and water does Colorado blue columbine need?

It grows best in part sun with medium moisture, though it tolerates a range from full sun to part shade and can handle drier soil once established.

What kind of habitat suits Colorado blue columbine?

It thrives in cool mountain meadows, rocky slopes and openings in coniferous or aspen woodland, often at higher elevations where summers stay mild.

Is Colorado Blue Columbine toxic to livestock?

The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Colorado Blue Columbine as toxic to livestock.

Is Colorado Blue Columbine HOA-friendly?

Colorado Blue Columbine is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with moderate maintenance.

Colorado Blue Columbine

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Aquilegia coerulea

Last reviewed: September 2026

Colorado blue columbine is a forb that blooms from May through July, doing best in part sun with medium water. It suits mountain meadows, rocky slopes and open woodland gardens.

Toxicity unknown

Colorado Blue Columbine (Aquilegia coerulea) 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.

The USDA PLANTS Database (opens in new tab) does not flag Colorado Blue Columbine as toxic to livestock.

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

12"–24" H × 12"–18" W

Bloom

May, Jun, Jul

Native to

AZ, CO, ID, MT and 5 more states

Pollinators

bees, hummingbirds, butterflies

Before you buy

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Central Basin and Range Northwestern Forested Mountains North American Deserts Southern Rockies Arizona/New Mexico Mountains High Plains Southwestern Tablelands

Colorado Blue Columbine is an elegant perennial wildflower with distinctive spurred blue and white blooms that appear in late spring through summer. This compact plant forms neat clumps of delicate, divided foliage and works well in partially shaded garden beds. The flowers are prized for their unique shape and attract a variety of pollinators throughout the blooming season.

Growing Colorado Blue Columbine

Grow Colorado Blue Columbine in part sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 12 to 24 inches tall and spread 12 to 18 inches wide. Expect moderate maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Colorado Blue Columbine is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: moderate. Tidiness: 4 out of 5.

Works well in: front yard, foundation, street edge, mid zone.

Foliage dies back in winter
May self-seed if not deadheaded

Wildlife value

The nectar-rich flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds during the extended bloom period from May through July. The plant provides valuable early to mid-season pollinator support when many other native plants are not yet flowering.

Common questions

When does Colorado blue columbine bloom?: Colorado blue columbine typically blooms from May through July, with exact timing shifting by elevation and how cool the spring has been.
What pollinators are attracted to Colorado blue columbine?: The nectar-rich, spurred flowers draw bees, hummingbirds and butterflies, which can reach the nectar at the base of the long petal spurs.
How much light and water does Colorado blue columbine need?: It grows best in part sun with medium moisture, though it tolerates a range from full sun to part shade and can handle drier soil once established.
What kind of habitat suits Colorado blue columbine?: It thrives in cool mountain meadows, rocky slopes and openings in coniferous or aspen woodland, often at higher elevations where summers stay mild.
Is Colorado Blue Columbine toxic to livestock?: The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Colorado Blue Columbine as toxic to livestock.
Is Colorado Blue Columbine HOA-friendly?: Colorado Blue Columbine is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with moderate maintenance.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. 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

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