Everyone loves delphiniums, just as everyone loves dolphins, and in fact there is an etymological connection between them.
Delphiniums are those plants with magnificent spires of densely packed blooms in every shade of blue, purple, and pink, as well as white. They dominate a classic English garden not only with their resplendent floral display but with their height of up to eight feet, which eclipses that of every other flower garden species with the exception of hollyhock.
The word delphinium, whose scientific and common name are the same, is derived from dolphin and describes the shape of its flower buds before they open. Larkspur is another name for delphinium that you sometimes hear. The larkspur appellation derives from the shape of the nectary at the base of one the sepals that surround delphinium flower petals. This nectary is thought to resemble the claw or spur of the meadowlark.
John Klima, who gardens in Orange, is a plant aficionado in the truest sense. When he discovers a plant that strikes his fancy, he goes all out growing it to perfection. Last summer, I wrote about his love affair with Caladium, the plant with elephant ear foliage that is adorned with spectacular symmetrical patterns of red, white, or pink, offset by bold venation in green or red.
Just recently, Klima wrote me about his success in growing hybrid New Zealand delphiniums. These delphiniums were developed by Terry Dowdeswell, a horticulturist in New Zealand who, in 1985, saw the need for a delphinium for the cut flower market that could be grown from seed. Importing and hybridizing delphinium seed from all over the world, he was successful in creating cultivars that not only produce long-lasting cut flowers but are excellent for simple ogling in the flower garden as well. He has also developed smaller delphinium cultivars that are meant for container growing. You can order New Zealand delphinium seeds from delphinium.co.nz, but may not want to plant them until the fall since they take time to establish and would have a difficult time doing so in our hot summer weather.
There are over 300 delphinium species throughout the northern hemisphere. They are perennials mostly found in cool, moist environments in Europe, Asia, montane tropical Africa, and the United States. The fancy hybrid types, however, although cultivated as perennials in cold winter climates. are grown here as annuals due to our scorching late summer temperatures that result in their demise. Larkspur is a name sometimes used synonymously with delphinium. However, it is also more often applied nowadays to a closely related annual (Consolida ajacis) that also has tall and brilliant flower spikes, albeit with smaller blooms than those seen on delphiniums. It is to be noted that the enchanting beauty of delphiniums and larkspurs belies their extreme toxicity so you will want to keep pets and children at a safe distance from them.
Klima described his protocol for growing hybrid New Zealand delphiniums from seed last year as follows: “I started the seeds in plastic trays in September on my back patio that has bright indirect light. I used a sterilized seed starting medium from Orange County Farm supply to prevent damping off (a fungus disease common among seedlings of most plants). The seeds were covered with fine perlite, well watered, and then covered with wet newspaper until the seeds germinated. When seedlings had grown a second set of true leaves, I planted them into four-inch plastic pots. After adding chicken manure to the soil, the seedlings were planted out in January of this year. I used an organic all-purpose fertilizer every three weeks and then let nature take its course.” As for growing conditions, Klima describes his as follows: “I grow mine in full sun on a drip system that waters every other day. The plants grow fast once they start to spike. So I keep them supplied with water and a balanced fertilizer.” A balanced fertilizer is one where the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (separated by dashes on the product label) are equal.
If delphiniums are a challenge to grow from seed, annual larkspurs could not be easier. Simply scatter the seeds with a little compost over the top and water daily until seedlings are firmly established, whereupon you can reduce watering frequency. Larkspurs self-sow with alacrity so that, in a few years, you will have them blooming in every corner of your garden. When it comes to maximizing the length of display in a vase arrangement, cut delphinium and larkspur flower spikes after only one or two flowers have opened.
Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) is a fitting rival to larkspur when it comes to candidates for a flower garden. Hollyhock flowers, growing up to six inches across, resemble those of hibiscus, a mallow family relative. There is no flower seed that blooms more readily than hollyhock. Hollyhocks may be observed thriving in vacant lots, in asphalt cracks in abandoned gas stations, and in unlandscaped, overgrown backyards. The hollyhock is a biennial, meaning it does not flower until its second season of growth, but is generally short-lived after that. Thus, you can plant hollyhock seeds along with your delphiniums around three months from now, anticipating flowers in late spring to early summer next year. While appropriate for cut flower arrangements, you can increase hollyhocks’ flowering in the garden by cutting plants to the ground after their first flush of flowers. Water and fertilize immediately, and you will see a second flurry of blooms in the fall. Hollyhock foliage is susceptible to rust and other fungus diseases so be sure to remove any affected leaves immediately.
California native of the week: According to calscape.org, perhaps the most comprehensive California native plant website, 53 species of delphinium are native to this state. San Bernardino larkspur or Parry’s larkspur (Delphinium parryi ssp. parryi) is indigenous to Southern California and is blooming now in royal purple. As indicated on calscape.org, “it grows most often on north-facing slopes, and in partially shaded areas underneath scrub oaks or other larger shrubs. This is a difficult plant to find in nurseries, but not too hard to grow from seeds.” I was unable to find seeds of this particular plant online, but did find seeds of a close relative, Delphinium parryi ssp. purpureum at plantflowerseeds.myshopify.com. Delphinium cardinale var. Scarlet Larkspur is a tuberous species native to northern California that also self-sows. Its stunning flower spikes rise up to a height of six feet; four-inch pots may be procured in person at the Theodore Payne Foundation (theodorepayne.org) in Sun Valley or ordered for delivery from anniesannuals.com.
