About
Delphinium 'Nora Ferguson' is a cultivar of Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) that produces the tall summer flower spikes typical of the genus. It flowers in the UK from June to August. Leaves on Delphinium are deeply lobed and palmate, with three to seven toothed lobes. All members of the genus contain toxic compounds and should be handled with care around children and livestock.
About the genus
Delphinium is a genus of about 300 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus.
Wikipedia contributors, "Delphinium", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Delphinium
In the garden
Delphinium 'Nora Ferguson' belongs to the genus Delphinium in the Ranunculaceae; the genus contains around 300 species native across the Northern Hemisphere and on the high mountains of tropical Africa, and was named by Carl Linnaeus. Within that broad group are both short-stemmed prairie species and tall, many-flowered forest species, and cultivars carry those upright, spike-forming habits into garden borders. Flowers appear in the UK from June to August, producing the elongated racemes associated with Delphinium. The foliage of the genus is palmate and deeply lobed, typically with three to seven pointed, toothed lobes. As members of the Ranunculaceae, delphiniums contain toxic compounds, so position plants away from grazing animals and exercise caution when pruning or removing spent stems. In a UK planting scheme, Delphinium 'Nora Ferguson' will supply tall summer spikes that sit above many herbaceous perennials and contribute vertical structure to mixed borders or designated cutting areas. Expect flowering through June to August and remember that all Delphinium are toxic to humans and livestock, so handle and site the plants accordingly.
From the Fenn Plants journal
- Notes on DaffodilsWhen to plant daffodil bulbs in the UK, how deep, how to naturalise them in grass, why daffodils stop flowering (“blindness”), and why you should never mix cut daffodils with other flowers.
- Keeping Your NerveHow to garden through a heatwave — the best time to water, why deep soaks beat daily sprinkles, caring for pots and vulnerable plants, and why you can let the lawn go brown.
- Made to LastHow to clean, store and protect garden pots and planters — the frost-proof vs frost-resistant difference, winter care for terracotta and ceramic, and how to reuse a broken pot.
More in the Delphinium genus
- Delphinium Hybrids, BelladonnaLarkspur
- Delphinium cardinalecardinal larkspur
- Delphinium cheilanthumgarland larkspur
- Delphinium elatumalpine delphinium
- Delphinium grandiflorumlarge-flowered delphinium
- Delphinium grandiflorum 'Azure Fairy'Larkspur
- Delphinium grandiflorum 'Blue Butterfly'delphinium 'Blue Butterfly'
- Delphinium grandiflorum 'Hunky Dory White'Siberian Larkspur