Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | White | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or East–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Potentially harmful
- Humans/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
- Genus
Delphinium can be annuals, biennials or perennials, with palmately lobed basal leaves and showy bowl-shaped flowers in spikes, racemes or panicles
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in a fertile, well-drained soil in full sun; shelter from strong winds and stake well. For best flower spikes thin shoots when 7cm high to leave a minimum of 2-3 shoots on young plants and 5-7 shoots on established plants. See staking: perennials and delphinium cultivation for further advice
Propagation
Propagate by taking pencil thick basal softwood cuttings in early spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
Deadhead by cutting spent flower spikes back to small flowering side shoots. Cut down all growth to ground level after it has withered in autumn
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, earwigs, delphinium leaf miner, delphinium moth caterpillars, slugs, snails and caterpillars
Diseases
May be susceptible to powdery mildews, delphinium black blotch, crown rot and viruses
Get involved
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