A good source for Arizona native columbine seed is Southwestern Native Seeds. They don't do orders via the internet, but they do have a website that lists all of their seeds (southwesternnativeseeds.com). I'll add that Aquilegia chrysantha grew quite well, in partial shade, for a neighbor in Buffalo, NY many years ago. I think any aquilegia is worth a try in the northeast USA, with the exception of A. skinneri. That species is native to the mountains of western Mexico and is probably only hardy to zone 8. (Note: Aquilegia "Tequila Sunrise" is NOT a form of A. skinneri, internet search results notwithstanding.) Eugene Zielinski Augusta, GA > [Original Message] > From: Leo A. Martin <leo@possi.org> > To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> > Date: 12/20/2011 6:35:56 PM > Subject: [pbs] OT: Aquilegia > > I wrote to Dennis > >> ...you should try growing A. chrysantha. It's quite hardy, > >> takes the summer heat if it's in partial shade, and the > >> flowers are fragrant. > > and then Dennis wrote > > That's a big surprise Leo, when I look at the USDA plants > > database it seems lots of Aquilegia species are native to > > your region (NV, UT, AZ, NM, TX, CO). But they are > > difficult to find in commerce, so maybe that's the key. > > Now I reply > Western North America is varied in altitude, with the greatest variation > in California. The Rockies are very high. >