Delphinium is an herbaceous perennial in the buttercup family native to woodlands, meadows, and river banks from Europe to Mongolia. It has showy blue flowers that appear on racemes in the spring and make excellent cut flowers. The species name in Latin elatus means tall, while delphis which means dolphin, refers to the shape of its flower buds. Boasting numerous varieties, the short range in height of 3-5' tall, the medium are 4 to 5.5' tall and the tall varieties are over 6' tall. A rather delicate choice for your garden, it will require support to maintain its upright habit. Staking or planting along a fence in a location that will provide protection from strong winds and heavy rainfall is the optimal habit. Some protection from afternoon sun in southernmost zones is required. High humidity can also be detrimental to the success of this plant. The ideal location will have cool, moist summers. Deadheading down to the basal leaves after it blooms may give you a second bloom period in the latter part of the summer and into fall. Although susceptible to several fugal diseases, planting in a sunny location with good drainage and air circulation can help this plant to perform well. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This high maintenance plant will require considerable attention in order to perform well in your garden. Staking is necessary to hold it upright, while disease control will need to be performed on a regular basis. Issues with crown rot, leaf spot, blight and powdery mildew are common. Snails and slugs are attracted to this plant as well as aphids, leaf miners, mites and stem borers. Frequent feedings are necessary to support the growth and heavy blooming of this plant. Considered a short-lived perennial, its lifespan ranges from 3 to 5 years. More information on Delphinium .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Mounding
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf value
Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Each blue-green leaf will contain 5 to 7 lobed parts.
Flower color
Blue
Flower value
Good Cut; Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Erect central racemes will produce up to 100 florets. It will be encompassed by several smaller racemes called side spikes that form at the leaf joints below the central spike.
Bloom time
Summer
Stem detail
The stems are hollow and need support to prevent bending and breaking.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe to Mongolia
Wildlife value
Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Attracts
Butterflies; Hummingbirds
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Edibility
Toxic if eaten.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Naturalized Area; Patio; Walkways
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Cutting Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Barrier; Border; Mass Planting; Small groups; Specimen
Garden tags
#cutting garden #rabbit resistant #deer resistant #cottage garden #problem for dogs #problem for horses #problem for cats #dried arrangements #short-lived perennials #container plant #high maintenance #self-seeding #shade intolerant #poisonous #poisonous if ingested #short lived
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Aphids Found on Flowers and Foliage; Slugs and Snails Found on Flowers and Foliage
Problems
Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Deer; Rabbits
Propagation
Seed
Poison severity
Medium
Poison parts
Flowers; Leaves; Stems
Poison symptoms
Digestive issues
Toxic principle
Alkaloids
Contact dermatitis
Yes
Toxicity summary
Medium severity poison; parts: Flowers; Leaves; Stems; contact dermatitis