About
An erect, clump-forming perennial to around 1.5m tall. Tall flower spires bear double blooms in summer made up of ruffled petals in shades of pale purple and blue with lime-green centres.
About the genus
Delphinium can be annuals, biennials or perennials, with palmately lobed basal leaves and showy bowl-shaped flowers in spikes, racemes or panicles
Plant details
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Suggested usesBedding displays, containers, gap filling.
ToxicityHumans/Pets:, Harmful, if, eaten., Wear, gloves, and, other, protective, equipment, when, handling., For, further, information, and, contact, numbers, regarding, pets,, see, the, HTA, guide, to, potentially, harmful, plants
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a fertile, well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in full sun; shelter from strong winds and provide stakes or other supports. See staking: perennials and delphinium cultivation for further advice
PruningDeadhead spent flower spikes. After flowering, cut down all growth to ground level. If fed and watered well, a second flush of flowers may be produced in autumn
PropagationPropagate by basal softwood cuttings or by division
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, earwigs, delphinium leaf miner, delphinium moth caterpillars, slugs, snails and caterpillars
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews, delphinium black blotch, grey moulds, Sclerotinia disease, crown rot and cucumber mosiac virus