# Yellow Columbine (*aquilegia flavescens*)

The Yellow Columbine is a beautiful flower with bright yellow petals that look like little bells! It attracts many butterflies and bees, making gardens lively and colorful.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Rocky slopes and open woods
- **Also known as:** Golden Columbine, Rocky Mountain Columbine

![Yellow Columbine](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/YellowColumbineAquilegiaflavescens.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Misterbiologist, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:YellowColumbineAquilegiaflavescens.JPG)

## Appearance

The Yellow Columbine has intricate, nodding yellow flowers, often with red or orange spurs that extend backward. Its delicate, fern-like leaves are typically blue-green, making the bright, unique blooms stand out in its habitat.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Ranunculales
- **Family:** Ranunculaceae
- **Genus:** Aquilegia

## Interesting facts

- Hummingbirds love these flowers because their long beaks can reach the sweet nectar hidden deep inside.
- Its name "Columbine" comes from the Latin word for dove, due to the flower's resemblance to a cluster of doves.
- Native Americans historically used parts of columbine plants for various traditional remedies.
- The petals are actually transformed leaves, folded to create the unique spur shapes! Wow!

## Special abilities

- **Nectar Reservoirs:** Yellow Columbine has long spurs that hold nectar, attracting hummingbirds for efficient pollination.
- **Rocky Root Grip:** Yellow Columbine can grow in rocky crevices, anchoring itself in tough spots to find moisture.
- **Wind-Whipped Seeds:** Yellow Columbine has dry seed pods that release seeds when shaken by wind, spreading new plants.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Bird

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** [Rufous Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rufous-hummingbird) (*Selasphorus rufus*) — sips nectar from its long spurs.
- **Pollinates:** Two-form Bumble Bee (*Bombus bifarius*) — gathers pollen and nectar.
- **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — grazes on its leaves and stems.

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Yellow Columbine?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Yellow Columbine?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Yellow Columbine spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Yellow Columbine?

3-5 cm

### When does Yellow Columbine bloom?

Late spring to mid-summer

### Is Yellow Columbine edible?

No

### Is Yellow Columbine toxic?

Mild

### What is Yellow Columbine's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Great Northern Railway Buildings](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-northern-railway-buildings) — Montana, US · Historic Site
- [Belly River Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belly-river-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District
- [Nyack Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nyack-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District
- [Swiftcurrent Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/swiftcurrent-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District
- [Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kokanee-glacier-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park

[View all places to see Yellow Columbine](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/yellow-columbine)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Yellow Columbine: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-columbine)