How to Grow Larkspur Plant Profile
Caring, Maintaining and Selecting Larkspur in Garden Flower Beds
May 27, 2009
Larkspur, once classified as Delphinium ajacis or D. ambiguum, is now listed under the scientific name of Consolida ambigua. Still, the relation to delphinium is obvious, even to the untrained eye. Many gardeners enjoy this perennial for indoor flower arrangements and bouquets.
Cultivation Information and How to Grow Larkspur
Botanical and Common Name: Larkspur is now listed with the scientific name Consolida ambigua, although it is sometimes called delphinium, or false delphinium.
Plant Category: Larkspur is an herbaceous perennial plant but is usually grown as an annual. Since self-sowing happens readily in the garden, most gardeners enjoy yearly blooms after planting once.
Bloom Time and Color: Larkspur blooms April through September and has flowers in lavender, rose, pink, white or blue colored flowers.
Foliage: Larkspur foliage is deep cut or sometimes fine foliate. It is said to fade in hot, humid weather but will often perk up again in the fall.
Growth Habit: Larkspur is a tall, upright plant that adds vertical accent to the garden.
Dimensions: Larkspur plants grow about 1-4' tall and 12-18" wide depending on the cultivar.
Maintenance: Larkspur does not require too much maintenance but some gardeners might prefer deadheading to prolong the bloom time. Seedlings can grow in unwanted places so gardeners will need to dig up stray volunteers.
Pests or Diseases: Larkspur can suffer root rot or crown rot if the soil is too wet and overcrowding can cause powdery mildew problems.
Propagation Methods: Larkspur grows well from seed, which should be sown after last frost directly onto prepared soil and barely covered at no more than 1/8" depth.
Using Larkspur in the Garden
Preferred Conditions: Larkspur prefers well-drained soil so it matters less whether the soil is rich, poor, sandy, rocky or loamy, and more whether the soil holds water for too long. Larkspur will tolerate part shade but prefers full sun.
Companion Plants: Larkspur blends well with other flowering perennials like hardy geranium, phlox, roses, and lavender. Larkspur has an old-fashioned, cottage garden appeal as well so landscape designers can try combining with other popular cottage garden plants.
Seasons of Interest: Larkspur provides interest spring through fall in most garden landscapes, although the plants can fade in the heat of summer.
Uses in the Garden: Use larkspur in cottage gardens, or butterfly gardens. Larkspur also makes an excellent cutting flower so landscapers can use it in cut flower gardens.
Other Considerations: All parts of the larkspur; flowers, seed and leaves, are poisonous so use caution with young children and pets.
Popular Larkspur Cultivars
- 'Bunny Bloom' Larkspur - A dwarf variety of larkspur that grows only 18-24" tall and 9-12" wide with magenta, lavender or white blooms.
- 'Dwarf Rocket Mix' Larkspur - Another dwarf variety that grows only 18" tall, the rocket mix larkspur comes with white, salmon, pink, blue-purple and rose colored flowers.
- 'Earl Grey' Larkspur - A medium-sized larkspur cultivar, these blooms are a steely, purple-grey in color and are large, open blooms. Reaches 2' tall and great for a mixed border or cottage garden.
- 'Frosted Skies' Larkspur - A unique, bicolored larkspur, the frosted skies larkspur has white blooms with blue edges.
- 'Giant Imperial Mix' Larkspur - Large single or double flowers in a wide variety of colors on strong, sturdy stalks that make good cutting flowers.
- 'Kingsize Scarlet' Larkspur - A tall, three-foot larkspur with dark pink, nearly red blooms. A very vibrant color for garden landscapes.
With so many choices available, and long-lasting, low-maintenance flowers, it is not surprising that larkspur is a popular plant with gardeners and landscapers. With so many choices available, and long-lasting, low-maintenance flowers, it is not surprising that larkspur is a popular plant with gardeners and landscapers.
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