golden columbine

The ferny leaves have three leaflets with three lobes and grow from the base and off the flowering stems. The flowers grow on a long stem above the leaves and have five pointed yellow sepals and five yellow petals with long spurs of around 6.7 cm (2.6 in) projecting backwards between the sepals. Its sepals of 20 millimetres (0.79 in) to 35 millimetres (1.4 in) can be spreading, lanceolate, or somewhat oval. At the center of the flower are many yellow stamens. The height of the plant's flowering stems range from 40 centimetres (16 in) to 120 centimetres (47 in) tall. Flowers are golden yellow. At the earliest, the plant achieves maturity in two years under cultivation. It is polycarpic, dropping seeds several times during its lifespan, which is longer than other Aquilegia species. Breeding is performed through its unisexual flowers, meaning that individual flowers exclusively possess either stamen or carpels, making it monoecious. A. chrysantha is similar to the also yellow Aquilegia flavescens but the former is more resistant to droughts and blooms longer. Pollination is primarily performed by moths, butterflies, and bees. Blooming occurs April and September, with a peak varying between late spring and late summer. The plant needs moist, well-drained areas to succeed. Poor drainage can cause the root crown to rot. …

The species is native to the southwestern United States from extreme southern Utah to Texas, including Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, and to Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon in northwestern Mexico. It grows in moist habitats in mountainous regions. The plant's native elevation range is between 910 metres (2,990 ft) and 3,350 metres (10,990 ft) above sea level. The population of A. chrysantha in south-central Colorado is unusually disjunct from the rest of the species's range. This population usually possess smaller flowers. They have sepals extending only 10 millimetres (0.39 in) to 18 millimetres (0.71 in) long and spurs only 35 millimetres (1.4 in) to 40 millimetres (1.6 in) long. This population is sometimes recognized as a separate variety, A. chrysantha var. rydbergii, but this distinction is not recognized in the Flora of North America. In 1881, botanist Thomas Meehan noted the apparent proliferation of A. chysantha in the Colorado Springs area, particularly around Cheyenne Cañon and Glen Eyrie, since botanists had examined the area in 1871 and 1873. Meehan theorized that their rapid spread was partially due to the increased human habitation of the area altering environmental circumstance. A population of columbines from the Baboquivari Mountains of southern Arizona has been the subject of debate regarding its speciation. …

Aquilegia chrysantha flowers in May and early June. It is chiefly pollinated by the hawkmoth species Eumorpha achemon, the Achemon sphinx moth, and also by moths of the Sphinx genus. It is occasionally visited by large bees and hummingbirds.

A. chrysantha succeeds well in a variety of soils when provided adequate moisture, drainage, and shade. It is recognized for its large flowers, is the parent to a number of garden hybrids. Some, such as the white 'Alba', were given pseudo-botanical names in the 19th century. Additionally, from the Baboquivari population have been collected and privately cultivated. The cultivar 'Yellow Queen' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Often sold as A. chrysantha, 'Yellow Queen' is recognized for its massive yellow flowers and long life. 'Yellow Queen' has a tendency to produce more flowers than the standard A. chrysantha. The cultivar prefers moist, well-drained soil of clay, sand, or loam. Flowers bloom May and June in the northern hemisphere, with darker yellow center pedals. Crosses between A. coerulea and A. chrysantha – and possibly A. formosa for the addition of red – are considered the most valuable hybrids. Showing characteristics of both species, they possess relatively short lifespans. Seed availability of these plants is relatively high in North America. Aquilegia x jaeschkanii, thought to be a cross between A. chrysantha and Aquilegia skinneri, is a less valued hybrid. In 1916, botanist Theodore D. A. Cockerell described an F1 hybrid that his wife, Wilmatte P. Cockerell, had made between A. chrysantha and Aquilegia desertorum. …

The word columbine derives from the Latin word columbinus, meaning "dove", a reference to the flowers' appearance of a group of doves. The genus name Aquilegia comes from the Latin word for "eagle", aquila, in reference to the pedals' resemblance to eagle talons. The specific epithet chrysantha is Latin for "golden-flowered".