Oil shale columbine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oil shale columbine |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Aquilegia
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| Species: |
barnebyi
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The Aquilegia barnebyi, often called the oil shale columbine or Barneby's columbine, is a beautiful perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years. It's a type of flowering plant in the buttercup family. You can find it growing naturally in parts of northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado in the United States. It was named after Rupert Charles Barneby, who first found it in Colorado.
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What Does This Plant Look Like?
These plants can grow from about 30 to 80 centimeters (12 to 31 inches) tall. They can spread out up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) wide. Their leaves are special, made up of many smaller parts, just like other Aquilegia plants. These leaves can be 5 to 30 centimeters (2 to 12 inches) across.
The flowers hang downwards. They have pretty pink outer parts called sepals. The inner parts, called petals, are yellow with reddish-pink spurs.
Where Does This Plant Live?
The oil shale columbine is found only in certain areas. It grows in the Uinta Basin in Duchesne and Uintah counties in Utah. It also lives in Garfield, Gunnison, Montrose, Pitkin, and Rio Blanco counties in Colorado.
This plant likes to grow on moist, exposed oil shale in cliffs and rocky slopes. You can also find it in pinyon-juniper woodlands. In the 1980s, people thought this plant was rare in Utah. It was even considered for special protection. But by 2021, scientists found it was more widespread and common. So, it is not currently at risk of extinction.
How Are Plants Related?
Scientists study plants to understand how they are related to each other. By looking at the chloroplast DNA of A. barnebyi, they found it is closely related to A. coerulea. This other Aquilegia species grows naturally in southern Wyoming, Colorado, and northern New Mexico.
Growing This Plant in Your Garden
The A. barnebyi plant can be a great addition to a garden. It grows well in full sun or partial shade. It is also a good choice for rock gardens.
This plant is drought tolerant, which means it can handle dry conditions. However, it does not do well in salty soil. There is also a special type of this plant called Aquilegia 'Firelight'. This type has been grown to have shorter stems and flowers that are a mix of yellow and pink colors.
