Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
Western Columbine is a common, open-branched perennial with distinct crimson flowers. The slender, branching stems, stretching 2-3 feet in height, are sparsely populated by thin, blue green leaves with three deep lobes. The arching stems have distinct red flowers with a truly unusual shape. The gorgeous crimson flowers have five sharp, slender petals, which extend horizontally from the inside circle of yellow pistils and stamens, and five spurred petals, which turn upwards to be perpendicular to the horizontal petals. The colorful flowers are about 5 centimeters long.
Basic Information
Member of the Ranunculaceae, or buttercup, family
Perennial herb
There are three recognized varieties of this plant:
Aquilegia formosa var. communis
Aquilegia formosa var. fosteri
Aquilegia formosa var. hypolasia
There are some other varieties recognized by different authorities, including Aquilegia formosa var. megalantha, Aquilegia formosa var. pauciflora, Aquilegia formosa var. truncata, and Aquilegia formosa var. wawawensis
Habitat
Native to western North America, from Alaska south to Baja California and east to Montana and Wyoming
Found in a wide variety of moist habitats, including stream banks and seeps, often adjacent to chaparral, mixed-evergreen and coniferous forest
Ecological Role
Primarily pollinated by hummingbirds, though bees and butterflies also visit the flowers
Reproduction
Blooms from late April to August
Alternative Names
Crimson Columbine, Scarlet Columbine, Red Columbine
Historical Uses
The nectar was sucked out of the flowers by the Yurok, Gitxsan, Wet'suwet'en, and Hanaksiala peoples
The Miwok boiled and ate early spring greens
The Paiute had a wide array of medicinal uses such as:
The mashed fresh roots rubbed for rheumatism
Decoction of leaves taken for colds and coughs
Poultice of chewed roots or leaves applied to bee stings
The seeds were chewed for stomach aches
The leaves were chewed for sore throats
Chewed seeds used as a perfume
The Quileute used a poultice of chewed leaves or milky pulp from scraped roots to treat sores
The Shoshoni people used a decoction of the root for treating stomach aches, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, and venereal diseases
The Shoshoni and Nlaka'pamux used a decoction of the plant as a wash for the hair and scalp
Tribes including the Okanagan-Colville and Nlaka'pamux used the flower as a good luck charm
The Nlaka'pamux also used smeared the mashed roots on men’s and horse's legs to increase stamina
Additional Information
The genus name Aquilegia, coming from the Latin word for eagle, refers to the spurred petals that many claim resemble eagle talons
