All About Columbines: Colorado's State Flower

Few wildflowers are as closely tied to Colorado's identity as the columbine. With its delicate, nodding blooms and distinctive spurred petals, this beloved perennial has inspired gardeners and nature lovers for generations. As Colorado celebrates 150 years of statehood, there's no better time to appreciate the beauty and history of the state's official flower.

The Colorado blue columbine (Aquilegia coerulea) was designated Colorado's state flower in 1899 after winning a vote by schoolchildren across the state. Its blue and white blossoms are often associated with alpine meadows, mountain forests and cool woodland edges, where the plants bloom from late spring into summer. Today, the flower remains a symbol of Colorado's unique landscapes and biodiversity.

Colorado blue columbine is easy to recognize by its elegant, nodding flowers with five long backward-pointing spurs. The flowers typically have white inner petals surrounded by blue to lavender sepals, with bright yellow stamens in the center. Although flower color can vary, the long spurs are distinctive. The colors are thought to reflect meaningful colors in the state: blue reflecting the clear Colorado sky, white the mountains’ snowcapped peaks and gold representing the mining history.

Several other columbines occur in Colorado, but they can be distinguished by their habitat, flower size and color. The western red columbine (Aquilegia elegantula) has smaller flowers with red sepals and yellow petals, while golden columbine (A. chrysantha) has entirely yellow flowers. Rocky Mountain blue columbine (A. saximonta) is typically found at higher elevations in rocky crevices and alpine scree slopes.

Despite having wild origins, columbines can also thrive in home gardens. They prefer well-drained soil and perform best in areas that receive morning sun and afternoon shade, especially along the Front Range where summer afternoons can be hot. Once established, they require relatively little maintenance and often reseed naturally, creating colorful drifts over time.

The columbine’s nectar-rich flowers attract hummingbirds, native bees and butterflies, making them an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Because different pollinators are drawn to different flower shapes and colors, planting columbines alongside a diversity of native flowering plants helps support a healthy garden ecosystem throughout the growing season.

You should still be able to find this flower blooming at higher elevations through early August. If you encounter a wild columbine this summer, share your photos on iNaturalist. With enough observations, we can make Colorado’s state flower the top observation to celebrate our state’s 150-year anniversary.

Thanks to Floristic and Outreach Coordinator Alissa Iverson for her help on this article!