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Delphinium x elatum |
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Delphinium, Larkspur, Candle Larkspur, Bee Larkspur |
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3-7 |
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Hybrid Origin |
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Erect plant |
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4-6 feet tall |
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Flowers in showy
racemes or spikes which are often paniculate, usually blue but also red,
pink, white, violet and
yellow. Five sepals, the posterior one prolonged
into a spur. |
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Early to midsummer |
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Leaves large, palmately 5-7 part near
the base, the upper leaves 3 part, ultimate
segments over ¾ inch wide. |
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Powdery mildew,
fungal blights, Botrytis blight, black leaf spot,
crown rot, canker, aphids, borers, leaf miner and mites. The nocturnal slug is also a problem.
Delphinium should be planted in uninfested soil and care should be taken not to contaminate the
soil with diseased plants nor to propagate from
infected stock. |
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Taller growing
types will need staking |
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- Blackmore and Langdon Hybrids - Flower colors
include white, cream, yellow and blue.
- 'Connecticut Yankee' - 30 inches, free-flowering,
densely branched, with an excellent color range.
- Dwarf Pacific Hybrids - Only 2 feet tall and often treated as
annuals. Two selections are 'Blue Fountains'
(mixed blues) and 'Blue Heaven', sky-blue.
- Giant Pacific Hybrids - This seed-grown hybrid has
colors of blue, violet, purple, pink, white and
lavender. Most of the flowers are double.
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Delphinium is
derived from the Greek word delphis
meaning dolphin and refers to the flower buds
before they expand which resemble dolphins.
Delphiniums at best are short-lived perennials
that either die or lose their vigor after 2
or 3 years. |
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