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Ranunculaceae
Candle Larkspur
Delphinium elatum
Reaching for the heavens.
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Genus
- Delphinium
- Native to
- Europe, Central Asia
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 3-6 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- Rich, moist, well-drained, alkaline
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 3-7
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The name Delphinium comes from the Greek word for dolphin, as the flower bud resembles a dolphin's nose.
- Candle larkspur spikes can reach over six feet tall, making them among the tallest cottage garden flowers.
- All parts of the plant are highly toxic to both humans and livestock due to diterpenoid alkaloids.
- Bumblebees are the primary pollinators, as they are heavy enough to push open the flower's petals.
- Medieval herbalists used diluted larkspur preparations as a treatment for parasitic lice, despite the plant's toxicity.
Color meanings
0
big-heartedness
1
fun
2
lightness