543 Species of Genus Delphinium

Table of Contents

Delphinium: The Towering Beauty with a Touch of Mystery

As a gardener with a penchant for the dramatic, delphiniums have always held a special place in my heart. These majestic perennials, with their towering flower spikes and vibrant blooms, add a touch of grandeur to any border. But along with their undeniable beauty comes a shroud of mystery. Are they deer-resistant? Can pets safely frolic around them? Here, I delve into the world of delphiniums to answer all your burning questions.

What is Delphinium?

Delphinium is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Ranunculaceae family. Native to the Northern Hemisphere, these perennials boast tall, stately stems adorned with clusters of stunning blooms. Colors range from classic blues and purples to vibrant pinks, whites, and even bicolors.

Delphinium species

Delphinium aconiti L.
Delphinium acutidentatum (W.T.Wang) N.I.Malyutin
Delphinium adenopodum W.T.Wang & Zong Zong Yang
Delphinium aemulans Nevski
Delphinium afghanicum Rech.f.
Delphinium ajacis L.
Delphinium alabamicum Kral
Delphinium albiflorum DC.
Delphinium albocoeruleum Maxim.
Delphinium albomarginatum Simonova
Delphinium alpestre Rydb.
Delphinium anatolicum H.Misirdali, Malyer & Baser
Delphinium andersonii A.Gray
Delphinium andesicola Ewan
Delphinium angustipaniculatum W.T.Wang
Delphinium anthoroideum Boiss.
Delphinium anthriscifolium Hance
Delphinium antoninum Eastw.
Delphinium apolanum Starm.
Delphinium aquilegiifolium (Boiss.) Bornm.
Delphinium araraticum (N.Busch) N.Busch ex Grossh.
Delphinium arcuatum N.Busch
Delphinium arenarium (Carlström) Jabbour
Delphinium armeniacum Stapf ex Huth
Delphinium atroviolaceum Luferov
Delphinium aucheri Boiss.
Delphinium austriacum (Pawł.) Starm.
Delphinium austroaltaicum A.L.Ebel
Delphinium autumnale Hand.-Mazz.
Delphinium axilliflorum DC.
Delphinium bakeri Ewan
Delphinium balansae Boiss. & Reut.
Delphinium balcanicum Pawł.
Delphinium barbatum Bunge
Delphinium barbeyi (Huth) Huth
Delphinium barlykense Lomon. & Khanm.
Delphinium barrancae Ewan
Delphinium barykinae Luferov
Delphinium batalinii Huth
Delphinium batangense Finet & Gagnep.
Delphinium beesianum W.W.Sm.
Delphinium bhutanicum Munz
Delphinium bicarpellatum Qureshi & Chaudhri
Delphinium bicolor Nutt.
Delphinium bicornutum Hemsl.
Delphinium biternatum Huth
Delphinium bolosii C.Blanché & Molero
Delphinium bovei Decne.
Delphinium brachycentrum Ledeb.
Delphinium bracteosum Sommier & Levier
Delphinium brevicorne Vis.
Delphinium brevisepalum W.T.Wang
Delphinium brunonianum Royle
Delphinium bucharicum Popov
Delphinium buerjinense W.T.Wang & Zong Zong Yang
Delphinium bulbilliferum Rech.f.
Delphinium bulleyanum Forrest ex Diels
Delphinium × burkei Greene
Delphinium burmaense Munz
Delphinium buschianum Grossh.
Delphinium caeruleum Jacquem. ex Cambess.
Delphinium calcar-equitis Standl.
Delphinium californicum Torr. & A.Gray
Delphinium callichromum Q.L.Gan & Xin W.Li
Delphinium calophyllum W.T.Wang
Delphinium camptocarpum Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
Delphinium campylocentrum Maxim.
Delphinium cardinale Hook.
Delphinium carduchorum Chowdhuri & P.H.Davis
Delphinium carolinianum Walter
Delphinium cashmerianum Royle
Delphinium caucasicum C.A.Mey.
Delphinium caudatolobum W.T.Wang
Delphinium centeteroides (Brühl) Munz
Delphinium ceratophoroides W.T.Wang
Delphinium ceratophorum Franch.
Delphinium chamissonis Pritz. ex Walp.
Delphinium changaicum Frizen
Delphinium changduense W.T.Wang
Delphinium charadzeae Kem.-Nath. & Gagnidze
Delphinium chayuense W.T.Wang
Delphinium cheilanthum Fisch. ex DC.
Delphinium chodatii Oppenh.
Delphinium chrysotrichum Finet & Gagnep.
Delphinium chumulangmaense W.T.Wang
Delphinium chungbaense W.T.Wang
Delphinium cilicicum P.H.Davis & Kit Tan
Delphinium cinereum Boiss.
Delphinium coelesyriacum (Mouterde) Jabbour
Delphinium coleopodum Hand.-Mazz.
Delphinium × confertiflorum Wooton
Delphinium connectens Pachom.
Delphinium consolida L.
Delphinium cooperi Munz
Delphinium cornutum M.Hossain & P.H.Davis
Delphinium corymbosum Regel
Delphinium cossonianum Batt.
Delphinium crassifolium Schrad. ex Spreng.
Delphinium crispulum Rupr.
Delphinium cruciatum M.Hossain & P.H.Davis
Delphinium cuneatum Spreng.
Delphinium cyananthum Nevski
Delphinium cyphoplectrum Boiss.
Delphinium daochengense W.T.Wang
Delphinium darginicum Dimitrova
Delphinium dasyanthum Kar. & Kir.
Delphinium dasycarpum Steven ex DC.
Delphinium dasycaulon Fresen.
Delphinium dasystachyon Boiss. & Balansa
Delphinium davidii Franch.
Delphinium davisii Munz
Delphinium dazangense W.T.Wang
Delphinium decoloratum Ovcz. & Kochk.
Delphinium decorum Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
Delphinium delavayi Franch.
Delphinium densiflorum Duthie ex Huth
Delphinium denudatum Wall. ex Hook.f. & Thomson
Delphinium depauperatum Nutt.
Delphinium deserti-syriaci Zohary
Delphinium dicentrum W.T.Wang
Delphinium dictyocarpum DC.
Delphinium dingjieense W.T.Wang
Delphinium disjunctum Ewan
Delphinium dissectum Huth
Delphinium distichum Geyer ex Hook.
Delphinium diversifolium Greene
Delphinium dolichocentroides W.T.Wang
Delphinium dolichostachyum Chowdhuri & P.H.Davis
Delphinium drepanocentrum (Brühl ex Huth) Munz
Delphinium dubium (Rouy & Foucaud) Pawł.
Delphinium dzavakhischwilii Kem.-Nath.
Delphinium ecalcaratum S.Y.Wang & K.F.Zhou
Delphinium edelbergii Rech.f. & Riedl
Delphinium eglandulosum Chang Y.Yang & B.Wang
Delphinium elatum L.
Delphinium elbursense Rech.f.
Delphinium elisabethae N.Busch
Delphinium emarginatum C.Presl
Delphinium eriostylum H.Lév.
Delphinium erlangshanicum W.T.Wang
Delphinium exaltatum Aiton
Delphinium favargeri C.Blanché, Molero & J.Simon
Delphinium fedorovii Dimitrova
Delphinium ferganicum Lazkov
Delphinium filifolium Iranshahr
Delphinium fissum Waldst. & Kit.
Delphinium flavum DC.
Delphinium flexuosum M.Bieb.
Delphinium foetidum Lomakin
Delphinium forrestii Diels
Delphinium furcatocornutum W.T.Wang
Delphinium geraniifolium Rydb.
Delphinium geyeri Greene
Delphinium giraldii Diels
Delphinium glabricaule W.T.Wang
Delphinium glaciale Hook.f. & Thomson
Delphinium glandulosum Boiss. & A.Huet
Delphinium glareosum Greene
Delphinium glaucescens Rydb.
Delphinium glaucum S.Watson
Delphinium gombaultii J.Thiébaut
Delphinium gonggaense W.T.Wang
Delphinium gongliuense W.T.Wang & Zong Zong Yang
Delphinium gracile DC.
Delphinium gracilentum Greene
Delphinium grandiflorum L.
Delphinium griseum Gilli
Delphinium gubanovii Frizen
Delphinium gueneri P.H.Davis
Delphinium gyalanum C.Marquand & Airy Shaw
Delphinium gypsophilum Ewan
Delphinium habaheense W.T.Wang & Zong Zong Yang
Delphinium hajrae Pusalkar
Delphinium halteratum Sm.
Delphinium hamatum Franch.
Delphinium hansenii (Greene) Greene
Delphinium hellenicum Pawł.
Delphinium hellesponticum Boiss.
Delphinium henryi Franch.
Delphinium heratense Iranshahr
Delphinium hesperium A.Gray
Delphinium hillcoatiae Munz
Delphinium himalayae Munz
Delphinium hirticaule Franch.
Delphinium hirtifolium W.T.Wang
Delphinium hispanicum Willk. ex Costa
Delphinium hohenackeri Boiss.
Delphinium honanense W.T.Wang
Delphinium hsinganense S.H.Li & Z.F.Fang
Delphinium huangzhongense W.T.Wang
Delphinium huashanicum W.T.Wang
Delphinium hueizeense W.T.Wang
Delphinium huetianum Meikle
Delphinium hui F.H.Chen
Delphinium humilius (W.T.Wang) W.T.Wang
Delphinium hutchinsoniae Ewan
Delphinium ilgazense P.H.Davis
Delphinium iliense Huth
Delphinium imbricatilobum W.T.Wang
Delphinium incanum E.D.Clarke
Delphinium incisolobulatum W.T.Wang
Delphinium incisum (Hook.f. & Thomson) Wall. ex Munz
Delphinium inconspicuum Serg.
Delphinium × inflexum Davidson
Delphinium inopinatum Nevski
Delphinium inopinum (Jeps.) F.H.Lewis & Epling
Delphinium iranorum N.Busch
Delphinium iris Ilarslan & Kit Tan
Delphinium jacobsii Iranshahr
Delphinium kabulianum Akhtar
Delphinium kamaonense Huth
Delphinium kandaharicum (Iranshahr) Jabbour
Delphinium kansuense W.T.Wang
Delphinium kantzeense W.T.Wang
Delphinium karategini Korsh.
Delphinium keminense Pachom.
Delphinium khorasanicum Sharifnia & Hasanbarani
Delphinium kingianum Brühl ex Huth
Delphinium kitianum Ilarslan
Delphinium knorringianum B.Fedtsch.
Delphinium koelzii Munz
Delphinium kohatense (Brühl) Munz
Delphinium kolymense A.P.Khokhr.
Delphinium × kotulae Pawł.
Delphinium kurdicum Boiss. & Hohen.
Delphinium lacei Munz
Delphinium lacostei Danguy
Delphinium lagarocentrum W.T.Wang
Delphinium lagarolobum W.T.Wang
Delphinium lahulensis P.Agnihotri, T.Husain & D.Husain
Delphinium lalesaricum Iranshahr
Delphinium langxianense W.T.Wang
Delphinium lanigerum Boiss.
Delphinium lasiantherum W.T.Wang
Delphinium latirhombicum W.T.Wang
Delphinium latisepalum Hemsl.
Delphinium laxicymosum W.T.Wang
Delphinium laxiflorum DC.
Delphinium laxiusculum (Boiss.) Rouy
Delphinium leiophyllum (W.T.Wang) W.T.Wang
Delphinium leonidae Kem.-Nath.
Delphinium leptocarpum (Nevski) Nevski
Delphinium leptophyllum Hemsl.
Delphinium leroyi Franch. ex Huth
Delphinium leucophaeum Greene
Delphinium lihengianum Q.E.Yang & Y.Luo
Delphinium likiangense Franch.
Delphinium lilacinum Hand.-Mazz.
Delphinium linarioides Boiss.
Delphinium lineapetalum Ewan
Delphinium linearilobum (Trautv.) N.Busch
Delphinium lineolatum (Hub.-Mor. & C.Simon) Jabbour
Delphinium lingbaoense S.Y.Wang & Q.S.Yang
Delphinium lipskii Korsh.
Delphinium lithophilum Podlech
Delphinium lomakinii Kem.-Nath.
Delphinium longibracteatum (Boiss.) Munz
Delphinium longibracteolatum W.T.Wang
Delphinium longipedicellatum W.T.Wang
Delphinium longipedunculatum Regel & Schmalh.
Delphinium longziense W.T.Wang
Delphinium lorestanicum (Iranshahr) Jabbour
Delphinium ludingense W.T.Wang
Delphinium ludlowii Munz
Delphinium luteum A.Heller
Delphinium maackianum Regel
Delphinium macedonicum Halácsy & Charrel
Delphinium macrocentrum Oliv.
Delphinium macropetalum DC.
Delphinium macropogon Prokh.
Delphinium macrostachyum Boiss. ex Huth
Delphinium maderense C.Blanché
Delphinium madrense S.Watson
Delphinium majus (W.T.Wang) W.T.Wang
Delphinium malabaricum (Huth) Munz
Delphinium malacophyllum Hand.-Mazz.
Delphinium malyschevii Frizen
Delphinium maoxianense W.T.Wang
Delphinium mariae N.Busch
Delphinium mauritanicum Coss.
Delphinium maximowiczii Franch.
Delphinium medogense W.T.Wang
Delphinium megalanthum Nevski
Delphinium menyuyanense W.T.Wang
Delphinium menziesii DC.
Delphinium micranthum Boiss. & Hohen.
Delphinium micropetalum Finet & Gagnep.
Delphinium middendorffii Trautv.
Delphinium minutibracteolatum (W.T.Wang) Luferov
Delphinium mirabile Serg.
Delphinium molle Danguy
Delphinium mollifolium W.T.Wang
Delphinium mollipilum W.T.Wang
Delphinium monanthum Hand.-Mazz.
Delphinium monogynum W.T.Wang
Delphinium montanum DC.
Delphinium muliense W.T.Wang
Delphinium multiplex (Ewan) C.L.Hitchc.
Delphinium munzianum P.H.Davis & Kit Tan
Delphinium muscosum Exell & Hillc.
Delphinium nachiczevanicum Tzvelev
Delphinium nangchienense W.T.Wang
Delphinium nangziense W.T.Wang
Delphinium nanum DC.
Delphinium neowentsaii Chang Y.Yang
Delphinium nepalense Kitam. & Tamura
Delphinium newtonianum D.M.Moore
Delphinium nikitinae Pachom.
Delphinium nilekeense W.T.Wang & Zong Zong Yang
Delphinium ninglangshanicum W.T.Wang
Delphinium nordhagenii Wendelbo
Delphinium nortonii Dunn
Delphinium novomexicanum Wooton
Delphinium nudicaule Torr. & A.Gray
Delphinium nurguschense Kulikov
Delphinium nuristanicum Tamura
Delphinium nuttallianum Pritz. ex Walp.
Delphinium nuttallii A.Gray
Delphinium nydeggeri Hub.-Mor.
Delphinium obcordatum DC.
Delphinium occidentale (S.Watson) S.Watson ex Coult.
Delphinium ochotense Nevski
Delphinium ochroleucum Steven ex DC.
Delphinium oliganthum Boiss.
Delphinium oliverianum DC.
Delphinium olopetalum Boiss.
Delphinium omeiense W.T.Wang
Delphinium oreganum Howell
Delphinium oreophilum Huth
Delphinium orthocentroides W.T.Wang
Delphinium orthocentrum Franch.
Delphinium osseticum N.Busch
Delphinium ovczinnikovii Kamelin & Pissjauk.
Delphinium oxycentrum W.T.Wang
Delphinium oxysepalum Pax & Borbás
Delphinium pachycentroides W.T.Wang
Delphinium pachycentrum Hemsl.
Delphinium palasianum Rafiq
Delphinium pallasii Nevski
Delphinium pallidiflorum Freyn
Delphinium paradoxum Bunge
Delphinium parishii A.Gray
Delphinium parryi A.Gray
Delphinium patens Benth.
Delphinium pavlovii Kamelin
Delphinium pavonaceum Ewan
Delphinium pedatisectum Hemsl.
Delphinium penicillatum Boiss.
Delphinium pentagynum Lam.
Delphinium peregrinum L.
Delphinium pergameneum W.T.Wang
Delphinium persicum Boiss.
Delphinium petrodavisianum Ilarslan & Kit Tan
Delphinium phrygium Boiss.
Delphinium pingwuense W.T.Wang
Delphinium platyonychinum W.T.Wang
Delphinium polozhiae A.L.Ebel
Delphinium poltaratzkii Rupr.
Delphinium polycladon Eastw.
Delphinium pomeense W.T.Wang
Delphinium popovii Pachom.
Delphinium potaninii Huth
Delphinium prokhanovii Dimitrova
Delphinium propinquum Nevski
Delphinium pseudocaeruleum W.T.Wang
Delphinium pseudocampylocentrum W.T.Wang
Delphinium pseudocandelabrum W.T.Wang
Delphinium pseudocyananthum Chang Y.Yang & B.Wang
Delphinium pseudoglaciale W.T.Wang
Delphinium pseudohamatum W.T.Wang
Delphinium pseudomosoynense W.T.Wang
Delphinium pseudopulcherrimum W.T.Wang
Delphinium pseudoscabriflorum Q.Yuan & Q.E.Yang
Delphinium pseudotongolense W.T.Wang
Delphinium pseudoyunnanense W.T.Wang & M.J.Warnock
Delphinium × pskemense Sennikov & Lazkov
Delphinium pubescens DC.
Delphinium pulanense W.T.Wang
Delphinium pumilum W.T.Wang
Delphinium puniceum Pall.
Delphinium purpurascens W.T.Wang
Delphinium purpusii Brandegee
Delphinium pycnocentrum Franch.
Delphinium pygmaeum Poir.
Delphinium pylzowii Maxim. ex Regel
Delphinium pyramidale Royle
Delphinium pyramidatum Albov
Delphinium qiaogeliense W.T.Wang
Delphinium qinghaiense W.T.Wang
Delphinium quercetorum Boiss. & Hausskn.
Delphinium quinqueflorum W.T.Wang
Delphinium raikovae Pachom.
Delphinium ramosum Rydb.
Delphinium rangtangense W.T.Wang
Delphinium raveyi Boiss.
Delphinium rechingerorum Iranshahr
Delphinium recurvatum Greene
Delphinium retropilosum (Huth) Sambuk
Delphinium reverdattoanum Polozhij & Revjakina
Delphinium robustum Rydb.
Delphinium rotundilimbum W.T.Wang
Delphinium roylei Munz
Delphinium rugulosum Boiss.
Delphinium ruprechtii Nevski
Delphinium rutoense J.T.Pan
Delphinium saccatum Huth
Delphinium sajanense Jurtzev
Delphinium samium (P.H.Davis) Jabbour
Delphinium samurense Murtaz. & Luferov
Delphinium saniculifolium Boiss.
Delphinium sapellonis Cockerell
Delphinium sauricum Schischk.
Delphinium savatieri Franch.
Delphinium saxatile W.T.Wang
Delphinium scabriflorum D.Don
Delphinium scaposum Greene
Delphinium schlagintweitii Huth
Delphinium schmalhausenii Albov
Delphinium sclerocladum Boiss.
Delphinium scopulorum A.Gray
Delphinium semibarbatum Bien. ex Boiss.
Delphinium semiclavatum Nevski
Delphinium shawurense W.T.Wang
Delphinium sheilae Kit Tan
Delphinium shenzhaense W.T.Wang
Delphinium sherriffii Munz
Delphinium shuichengense W.T.Wang
Delphinium siamense (Craib) Munz
Delphinium simonkaianum Pawł.
Delphinium sinoelatum Chang Y.Yang & B.Wang
Delphinium sinopentagynum W.T.Wang
Delphinium sinoscaposum W.T.Wang
Delphinium siwanense Franch.
Delphinium smithianum Hand.-Mazz.
Delphinium souliei Franch.
Delphinium sparsiflorum Maxim.
Delphinium speciosum M.Bieb.
Delphinium spirocentrum Hand.-Mazz.
Delphinium stachydeum (A.Gray) Tidestr.
Delphinium staminosum (P.H.Davis & Sorger) Jabbour
Delphinium stapeliosmum Brühl
Delphinium stapfianum (P.H.Davis & Sorger) Jabbour
Delphinium stenocarpum M.Hossain & P.H.Davis
Delphinium stocksianum Boiss.
Delphinium suave Huth
Delphinium subcuneatum Tzvelev
Delphinium subscandens Ewan
Delphinium subtubulosum (W.T.Wang) Luferov
Delphinium sulphureum Boiss. & Hausskn.
Delphinium sutchuenense Franch.
Delphinium sutherlandii M.J.Warnock
Delphinium sylvaticum Pomel
Delphinium syncarpum Freyn ex Stapf
Delphinium szowitsianum Boiss.
Delphinium taipaicum W.T.Wang
Delphinium taliense Franch.
Delphinium talyschense Tzvelev
Delphinium tangkulaense W.T.Wang
Delphinium tarbagataicum Chang Y.Yang & B.Wang
Delphinium tatsienense Franch.
Delphinium teheranicum Boiss.
Delphinium tenii H.Lév.
Delphinium tenuisectum Greene
Delphinium tenuissimum Sm.
Delphinium tephranthum W.T.Wang
Delphinium ternatum Huth
Delphinium tetanoplectrum Rech.f.
Delphinium thamarae Kem.-Nath.
Delphinium thibeticum Finet & Gagnep.
Delphinium thirkeanum Boiss.
Delphinium tomentellum N.Busch
Delphinium tomentosum Aucher ex Boiss.
Delphinium tongolense Franch.
Delphinium treleasei Bush
Delphinium trianthophorum W.T.Wang
Delphinium trichophoroides W.T.Wang
Delphinium trichophorum Franch.
Delphinium tricorne Michx.
Delphinium trifoliolatum Finet & Gagnep.
Delphinium trigonelloides Boiss.
Delphinium trigynum (W.T.Wang) W.T.Wang
Delphinium trisectum W.T.Wang
Delphinium triste Fisch. ex DC.
Delphinium trolliifolium A.Gray
Delphinium tuberosum Aucher ex Boiss.
Delphinium tungusense Kurbatsky
Delphinium tuntasianum Halácsy
Delphinium turcicum (H.Duman, Vural, Aytaç & Adıgüzel) F.Espinosa
Delphinium turczaninowii Frizen
Delphinium turkmenum Lipsky
Delphinium uechtritzianum Pančić ex Huth
Delphinium ukokense Serg.
Delphinium uliginosum Curran
Delphinium umbraculorum F.H.Lewis & Epling
Delphinium umbrosum Hand.-Mazz.
Delphinium uncinatum Hook.f. & Thomson
Delphinium ursinum Rech.f.
Delphinium valens Standl.
Delphinium variegatum Torr. & A.Gray
Delphinium venulosum Boiss.
Delphinium verdunense Balb.
Delphinium vestitum Wall. ex Royle
Delphinium villosum Steven ex DC.
Delphinium virgatum Poir.
Delphinium viride S.Watson
Delphinium viridescens Leiberg
Delphinium viridiovarium W.T.Wang
Delphinium viscosum Hook.f. & Thomson
Delphinium vitifolium Finet & Gagnep.
Delphinium vvedenskyi Pachom.
Delphinium wangii M.J.Warnock
Delphinium wardii C.Marquand & Airy Shaw
Delphinium weihaiense W.T.Wang
Delphinium weiningense W.T.Wang
Delphinium weixiense W.T.Wang
Delphinium wellbyi Hemsl.
Delphinium wendelboi Iranshahr
Delphinium wentsaii Y.Z.Zhao
Delphinium wilhelminae Iranshahr
Delphinium williamsii Munz
Delphinium winklerianum Huth
Delphinium wislizeni Engelm.
Delphinium wootonii Rydb.
Delphinium wrightii F.H.Chen
Delphinium xanthanthum W.T.Wang
Delphinium xantholeucum Piper
Delphinium xichangense W.T.Wang
Delphinium xuebaodingense W.T.Wang
Delphinium × xylorrhizum Rydb.
Delphinium yanyuanense W.T.Wang
Delphinium yongdengense W.T.Wang
Delphinium yongningense W.T.Wang & M.J.Warnock
Delphinium yuanum F.H.Chen
Delphinium yuchuanii Y.Z.Zhao
Delphinium yui Idrees & Z.Yong Zhang
Delphinium yunnanense (Franch.) Franch.
Delphinium zalil Aitch. & Hemsl.
Delphinium zanlanscianense W.G.Zhang & X.Yu Luo
Delphinium zhanangense W.T.Wang
Delphinium zhaosuense W.T.Wang & J.C.Chi
Delphinium zhengyianum Y.Luo & Q.E.Yang
Delphinium zhouchengense W.T.Wang
Delphinium zuogongense W.T.Wang

How to Care for Delphinium?

Delphiniums thrive in cool climates with full sun to partial shade. They prefer well-drained, fertile soil with consistent moisture. Regular watering is crucial during the growing season, especially for young plants. To encourage bushier growth and prevent floppy stems, pinch back the growing tips when the plants reach about 12 inches tall. Deadheading spent blooms throughout the summer will promote continued flowering.

How to Propagate Delphinium?

There are two main ways to propagate delphinium:

Division: In spring or fall, carefully divide mature clumps with a sharp spade. Ensure each division has healthy roots and eyes (buds). Replant in prepared beds and water well.
Seeding: Sow seeds indoors in late winter or directly outdoors in early spring. Delphinium seeds benefit from cold stratification (exposure to cold temperatures) to improve germination. Keep the soil moist and provide gentle warmth until seedlings emerge.

What to Plant with Delphinium?

Delphiniums pair beautifully with other tall perennials like foxgloves, hollyhocks, and lilies. Lower-growing plants like catmint and lavender can fill in the gaps at the base, creating a visually interesting and textural contrast.

Are Delphinium Deer Resistant?

Unfortunately, delphiniums are not deer-resistant. The new foliage and flower buds are particularly attractive to these browsing herbivores. Planting delphiniums in deer-fenced areas or using deer repellent sprays can help deter them.

When to Plant Delphinium Seeds?

The ideal time to plant delphinium seeds depends on your climate. In colder climates with short growing seasons, start seeds indoors in late winter (around 8-10 weeks before the last frost). In areas with milder winters, you can sow seeds directly outdoors in early spring.

Is Delphinium Poisonous to Cats and Dogs?

Yes, delphinium is poisonous to both cats and dogs. All parts of the plant contain toxins that can cause serious health problems if ingested. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, drooling, and neurological problems. If you suspect your pet has eaten delphinium, seek immediate veterinary attention.

How to Prune Delphinium?

There are two main pruning times for delphiniums:

Early summer: After the first flush of flowers fades, cut back the stems by about half their height. This encourages new growth and a potential second bloom later in the season.
Fall: Once the foliage dies back in autumn, cut the stems all the way down to ground level. This promotes healthy new growth in spring and helps prevent the spread of fungal diseases.

Do Rabbits Eat Delphinium?

While deer may be drawn to delphiniums, rabbits are generally less interested. The bitter taste and strong aroma often deter them from munching on these plants.

Is Delphinium Poisonous to Touch?

Delphinium sap can irritate the skin, especially for those with sensitive skin. When handling these plants, it’s best to wear gloves to avoid any potential discomfort.

Do Bees Like Delphinium?

Yes, bees love delphiniums! The vibrant flowers with their nectar-rich centers are a magnet for pollinators. Planting delphiniums in your garden not only adds beauty but also helps support these vital insects.

Do Hummingbirds Like Delphinium?

While hummingbirds are primarily attracted to brightly colored, trumpet-shaped flowers, some delphinium varieties with open, nectar-rich blooms may also attract these tiny feathered visitors.

By understanding the needs and quirks of delphiniums, you can cultivate these magnificent plants and enjoy their towering beauty for years to come. Remember, with a little care and attention, these perennials can reward you with a breathtaking floral display that will add a touch of magic to your garden.