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Eastern Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Found in forests, woodlands, rock outcrops, especially (though by no means entirely) on calcareous or mafic substrates. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

47
Good

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
1–3 feet
Spread
1–1.5 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 1 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 100 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
March to June

Recorded in 93 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone

Cedar glade in the Pennyroyal Plain, Simpson County
Limestone cedar glade. Shown: Pennyroyal Plain, Simpson County, Kentucky, a neighboring state.Cedar glade in the Pennyroyal Plain, Simpson County, Mason Brock (Masebrock), undated. Public domain. Source record.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

Glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock

Open, thin-soil openings, outcrops and cliffs on dark, magnesium- or iron-rich rock such as serpentine, diabase or gabbro.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 119 animals.

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

10CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Aquilegia

  • Acleris albicomanaRed-Edged Acleris
  • Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
  • Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Eosphoropteryx thyatyroidesPink-Patched Looper Moth
  • Gesta baptisiaeWild Indigo Duskywing, Baptisia Duskywing
  • Papaipema leucostigmaColumbine Borer
  • Papaipema rutilaMayapple Borer
  • Pyrrhia ciliscaAmerican Bordered Sallow, Noble Sun Moth
  • Pyrrhia exprimensPurple-Lined Sallow, Purple-Lined Sun Moth
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
5BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Aquilegia

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Ranunculaceae
Hardiness
Zones 3a–8b
Soil pH
Neutral
Flower color
Yellow, pink or red

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Canada Columbine; Red Columbine

Conservation status

Virginia rankS5
Global rankG5
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.

Sources