Delphinium | Larkspur

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Delphinium

The delphinium is also known as larkspur. The name larkspur comes from the spur-like shape of the entire flower.

The botanical name delphinium comes from the Latin word for dolphin, because the flower also slightly resembles a dolphin.

Larkspurs are known for their tall flower spikes. They can grow very tall, up to a meter. They have large, deeply lobed leaves and a long stem. That’s why they are often used as cut flowers. You can make a bouquet to give as a gift or simply place them in a vase at home.

When does larkspur bloom?

Delphinium flower seeds can be planted once the risk of frost has passed. They bloom in early summer and often again in late summer or early autumn.

Caring for delphinium

Delphinium is not very difficult to care for. There are a few things to keep in mind. When planting, make sure there is enough space between the flowers. Plant three to five plants per square centimeter. This way, larkspur can grow well and each plant will get enough water.

Another important point when planting delphinium is the location. These flowers love the sun. So choose a spot where the flowers can get full sunlight. If the soil is dry, water regularly, preferably at the base of the plant.

Tip: sprinkle slug pellets around the plant. Do this around March and April to prevent slugs from eating your plant. The pellets ensure that the slugs stay away and don’t return. You can also use copper tape around the flower. If slugs crawl over it, they’ll get a small shock and leave. Ants don’t like the smell of copper and it disrupts their scent trail.

Transplanting delphinium

It’s best to transplant larkspur every two years. They don’t like staying in the same spot for longer than that. If they remain in the same place for more than two years, there’s a chance they will stop blooming.

Combinations with delphinium

Our larkspur flowers come in purple or blue and are perfect together with pink or red flower seeds, such as zinnias and cosmos. It’s also beautiful to combine delphinium flowers with red dahlias or white dahlias. he dahlia tubers bloom around the same time as the flower seeds. You can plant the dahlias in spring, once the risk of frost has passed. They’ll bloom around July and August. That’s about the same time larkspurs bloom, which is from June to September. By combining delphinium with dahlia tubers, your garden will have a stunning appearance.

Enjoy your garden even longer

Did you know you can enjoy your garden for more than three months? You can, by planting daffodil and tulip bulbs  from October to mid-December. The daffodils will bloom in February, April or May, and the tulips in April or May. After that, the larkspurs and dahlias begin to bloom. This way, you can enjoy flowers in your garden for up to eight months!