Texas Gold Columbine
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Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana
Aquilegia chrysantha, also known as golden columbine, canary columbine, or southwestern yellow columbine, is a perennial that forms a bushy clump and grows to a height of 1-3 feet. It is found in canyons in western Texas, southern New Mexico, southern Utah, and Arizona, extending south into northern Mexico, with a separated population in southern Colorado.
Bright yellow flowers, each with five petals, bloom in early spring (March-early May). Each petal has a short tube at the front and a distinctive, slender, tapered, downward-pointing, backward-projecting, straight to outward-curving spur. The flowers also have five-pointed petaloid sepals that are longer than the blades of the petals but are lighter yellow. The flowers emit a slight fragrance. This species is often used as a parent to hybridize long-spurred hybrid columbines because of its unusual longspurs. The basal leaves are mostly 3-ternate and compound palmate.
Golden columbine is a loose grower but usually does not require support if given adequate moisture during the growing season. It thrives in organically rich, moist, sandy loams in light to moderate shade but generally tolerates a wide range of soils as long as they are well-drained. Add sand to clay soils to improve drainage, but this species handles heat and sun better than most other species in the genus. After blooming, remove flowering stems to encourage additional color. Keep soils uniformly moist after bloom to prolong attractive foliage appearance. When foliage depreciates, plants may be cut to the ground. It seeds well in optimum growing conditions if the flowers are not deadheaded.
Height: 1.5’-2.5’
Spread: 1.5’-2.5’
Bloom: April-May
Light: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium
Zone: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Origin: Texas
Winter Shipping: We will continue to ship throughout winter. If you prefer, we are happy to hold your order until spring; please include that request in your shipping notes.
When you order plants from our nursery, you can expect them to arrive in the best possible condition. Our team carefully packs each order using sturdy, biodegradable packaging materials.
Your plants' appearance may vary depending on the season and their current growth stage. We may cut back the leafy growth of some plants to prepare them for shipment and transplanting.
5 Gallon and Up: Any plant purchased to ship over 5 Gallons will be shipped bare root. This means we will remove the plant from its original pot, remove the soil surrounding the roots, and wrap the roots with a biodegradable plastic bag. This reduces weight and the likelihood of damage during shipping.
Once your plants arrive, it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. This will help them rebound and thrive. If you cannot plant immediately, water regularly and keep the roots off heat-conducting surfaces.
Newly transplanted plants often require more water until their roots are well established. Plan to water them 1-3 times weekly for the first few months.
