Aquilegia saximontana
Encyclopedia
Aquilegia saximontana, the Rocky Mountain Columbine, Alpine Dwarf Columbine, Dwarf Blue Columbine, or Alpine Columbine, is a perennial plant
that comes from the Ranunculaceae
(Buttercup) family.
in Colorado
, U.S..
A. saximontana should not be confused with Aquilegia caerulea
var. caerulea, which overlaps in range and may also have blue and white flowers. They can be identified by comparing the length of the "spur"-shaped backs of the flowers; A. saximontana has hooked spurs 3–9 mm (0.118110236220472–0.354330708661417 in) long, while A. caerulea has straight spurs 34–48 mm (1.3–1.9 in) in length.
is the official state flower of Colorado. The original documents referred to the state flower as being lavender and white in color and not of a particular species. Today, Aquilegia caerulea is considered the official state flower. Historically, however, A. saximontana may have a claim to be the "original" state flower of Colorado.
The following has been excerpted from The State of Colorado:
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
that comes from the Ranunculaceae
Ranunculaceae
Ranunculaceae are a family of about 1700 species of flowering plants in about 60 genera, distributed worldwide....
(Buttercup) family.
Description
A. saximontana can be found in sub-alpine and alpine areas at elevations of 3300–4000 m (10,826.8–13,123.4 ft) in the Rocky Mountains. This species of columbine blooms in July and August. The blooms are lavender and white, and the entire plant reaches 5–25 cm (2–9.8 in) in height. This plant is endemic (native only) to the Rocky MountainsRocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, U.S..
A. saximontana should not be confused with Aquilegia caerulea
Aquilegia caerulea
Aquilegia caerulea is a species of Aquilegia flower native to the Rocky Mountains from Montana south to New Mexico and west to Idaho and Arizona. Its common name is Colorado Blue Columbine; sometimes it is called "Rocky Mountain Columbine", but this properly refers to Aquilegia saximontana.It is a...
var. caerulea, which overlaps in range and may also have blue and white flowers. They can be identified by comparing the length of the "spur"-shaped backs of the flowers; A. saximontana has hooked spurs 3–9 mm (0.118110236220472–0.354330708661417 in) long, while A. caerulea has straight spurs 34–48 mm (1.3–1.9 in) in length.
State Flower
There is some confusion as to which species of columbineAquilegia
Aquilegia is a genus of about 60-70 species of perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals of their flowers.-Etymology:The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle , because...
is the official state flower of Colorado. The original documents referred to the state flower as being lavender and white in color and not of a particular species. Today, Aquilegia caerulea is considered the official state flower. Historically, however, A. saximontana may have a claim to be the "original" state flower of Colorado.
The following has been excerpted from The State of Colorado: