western red columbine

Aquilegia elegantula is a perennial herb that can grow 10 to 60 centimeters (4 to 23.5 in) tall, however it is more often is 24 to 42 cm (9.5 to 16.5 in). The plant grows its basal leaves and stems from a caudex that may or may not be branched. The stems can be hairless or pilose, covered in long, straight, soft hairs, but do not have glands. Stems will often have one or two leaves, though they may lack them. Most of a plant's leaves will be basal, growing directly from the base of the plant, with an overall length of 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 in) and are unusually shorter than the stems. The petioles, the leaf stems, measure 6 to 21 cm (2.4 to 8.3 in). Each leaf will be divided into three parts and each part is subdivided into three leaflets. The upper surface of the leaflets will be hairless and green while the underside is glaucous, blue-gray due to natural waxes. Each leaflet measures 16 to 33 millimeters long by 16 to 37 mm wide and are cuneate-obovate, tear-drop in outline with a triangular base. Each of the nine leaflets in a leaf will have rounded corners and will be deeply divided into three sections.

The flower has an overall length of 3 to 3.5 cm (1.2 to 1.4 in) including the elongated, knob-tipped spurs on each of the five petals. They reflect very little ultraviolet light and are scentless. …

The species is native to the Four Corners states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, and Coahuila and Nuevo León in northern Mexico. There is found naturally at elevations of 1,500 to 3,500 meters (4,900 to 11,500 ft). It grows in moist Douglas fir and spruce–fir forests and in riparian areas near streams or other water courses. It is also found growing directly from rock faces and on subalpine slopes.

The flowers are pollinated by the broad-tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus). Aquilegia elegantula flowers produces more nectar, 3.9 microliters per day, than does Aquilegia micrantha, 2.45 microliters per day, and are likely a more attractive flower to hummingbirds when both are present in a habitat. Some bees will engage in nectar robbing by cutting holes in the narrow flower spurs.

Although desert columbine (Aquilegia desertorum) is more commonly planted in gardens, western red columbine is sometimes sold by plant nurseries for use by gardeners. It is planted in rock gardens and as a plant to attract hummingbirds to mountain gardens. When cultivated it requires partial shade unless it is watered generously.