Aquilegia shockleyi
Desert columbine
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Aquilegia shockleyi (Desert columbine) is a native California perennial in the Ranunculaceae family.
Desert columbine is a California native perennial found in the White and Inyo Mountains and eastern desert mountains in moist seeps, springs, and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 1,200 to 2,700 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces distinctive red flowers with yellow and green sepals and delicate yellow petals with pink or red spurs 12 to 23 millimeters long. Growing 40 to 100 centimeters tall with a generally glabrous and glaucous appearance, the plant develops complex leaf structures. Its basal and lower cauline leaves are intricately 3-ternate, with leaflets 11 to 38 millimeters long, while upper leaves are typically simple or deeply 3-lobed. The plant produces elongated fruits 14 to 23 millimeters long with a distinctive beak 9 to 12 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 0 sympatric species - geographically isolated in desert mountains
Habitat and range
Habitat: Seeps, springs, moist places in pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 1200-2700 m
California counties: Mono, San Bernardino, Inyo, El Dorado, Tulare, Madera
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Aquilegia shockleyi blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Delphinium: Aquilegia has spurs on petals with nodding flowers; Delphinium has a single spur on the upper sepal with upright flower spikes.; vs Thalictrum: Aquilegia has large showy spurred flowers; Thalictrum has tiny flowers without petals in airy clusters.; vs Ribes: Aquilegia is an herb with spurred flowers; Ribes is a shrub with flowers in hanging clusters and berries.; vs Lomatium: Aquilegia has spurred flowers with separate petals; Lomatium has tiny flowers in compound umbels with divided leaves.; vs Clematis: Aquilegia has spurred petals on an upright herb; Clematis is a woody vine with four flat sepals and no spurs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Aquilegia shockleyi native to California?
Yes. Aquilegia shockleyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Aquilegia shockleyi bloom?
Aquilegia shockleyi blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Aquilegia shockleyi grow?
Aquilegia shockleyi occurs in Mono, San Bernardino, Inyo, El Dorado, Tulare, Madera, at elevations of 1200-2700 m.
What plant family does Aquilegia shockleyi belong to?
Aquilegia shockleyi is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Aquilegia.
What habitat does Aquilegia shockleyi grow in?
Aquilegia shockleyi grows in Seeps, springs, moist places in pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.