USDA Forest Service Celebrating Wildflowers

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Aquilegia Express: Red Columbines

Reds

Aquilegia canadensis

Aquilegia desertorum

Aquilegia elegantula

Aquilegia eximia

Aquilegia formosa

Aquilegia grahamii

Aquilegia shockleyi

Aquilegia triternata

Aquilegia triternata, barrel columbine

The barrel columbine occurs in eastern and southeastern Arizona and adjacent New Mexico.

Aquilegia triternata
In this close-up image of Aquilegia triternata, note the slightly spreading red sepals and the yellow blades of the petals. Photo by Charlie McDonald.

Map of the range of Aquilegia triternata in North America.
Range map of Aquilegia triternata. Courtesy of the USDA PLANTS Database.

Aquilegia triternata ranges in height from 15 to 60 cm. The foliage is green not glaucous and the leaves pilose above and glabrous to pilose below. The flowers are nodding. The sepals are red, 10 to 20 mm long and slightly spreading. The blades are yellow or yellow tinged with red, 7 to 8 mm long. The spurs are light red, to 25 mm long and straight. The stamens extend beyond the blades.

Aquilegia triternata is found growing in moist, open rocky places at mid elevations.

Aquilegia triternata habitat
As with many species of columbines, this image displays Aquilegia triternata growing in a rock crevice where adequate moisture is to be found. Photo by Charlie McDonald.

For More Information

U.S. Forest Service
Rangeland Management
Botany Program

1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mailstop Code: 1103
Washington DC 20250-1103

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Location: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/beauty/columbines/aquilegia_triternata.shtml
Last modified: Monday, 05-Mar-2012 13:02:25 EST