Delphinium

Common Name: Larkspur

Botanical Name: Delphinium L. Spp.

Family: Ranunculaceae

Origin: It is native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains
of Tropical Africa. All the members of Delphinium species are toxic to humans and livestock.

History: The word Delphinium derived from Greek word delphinion ‘larkspur’,
from delphin ‘dolphin’ (because of the shape of the spur, thought to resemble a dolphin's back).
There are many varieties and types of D. elatum in common cultivation as well as probably over
500 other species growing in the wild. In England in Tudor times some of the species grown
were referred to as "larkspur" apparently because the nectary looked somewhat akin to a lark’s
claw. The modern delphinium is the result of hybridization of delphinium species from many
widely varied parts of the world. From the middle of the 19th century, Kelway, Lemoine and
others set about serious breeding greatly improving the number and quality of varieties available.
Since the middle of this century many talented amateur and professional breeders have made
significant contributions to the development of the delphinium. Probably the most notable of
recent times being the English breeder, Duncan McGlashan.

Classification:
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants

Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Order: Ranunculales

Family: Ranunculaceae – Buttercup family

Genus: Delphinium L. – larkspur

Botany:
The leaves are deeply lobed with three to seven toothed, pointed lobes in a palmate shape. The
main flowering stem is erect, and varies greatly in size between the species, from 10 centimeters
in some alpine species, up to 2 m tall in the larger meadowland species. Flowers of most species
have five spreading sepals and four petals.

Uses:
Delphinium is an herb. People use the flower to make medicine. In landscape, it is used in
Containers, Beds, and Border Flowers and also as Cut Flowers.

Production requirements:
Moist, well-drained loamy soil is best; clay and sand should be amended. Larger seedlings are
preferable for fall plantings to avoid premature flower initiation. Suitable temperature is
77°F/25°C days and 60°F/15°C nights. After transplant, water well to establish the root system.
If roots dry even once, growth will be very poor. Roots also need good aeration to discourage
root rot.

Production Technology:

Seed of Larkspur should be sown in artificial media for rapid germination. The optimum plug
media is well-sterilized peat moss-perlite: vermiculite at ratios 1: 1:3 or 2:0:3 with pH 5.5 to 6.5.
Seeds must be covered as dark is required. Keep wet until germ/root emergence. Pre-cool
treatment of 45°F/7°C, wet and dark for 2 days will help the uniform germination under high
temperature conditions such as summer sowing. Plug finish time is 5 to 6 weeks, with optimal
growing temperatures of 60°-78°F/15°-25°C. Larger seedlings are preferable for fall plantings to
avoid premature flower initiation. Suitable temperature is 77°F/25°C days and 60°F/15°C nights.
After transplant, water well to establish the root system. If roots dry even once, growth will be
very poor. Roots also need good aeration to discourage root rot. Induce flowering with
temperatures higher than 60°-35°F/15°-18°C Extending day length to 16 hours helps flowering
but is not required for flower initiation. Minimum night temperature should be 55°-60°F/13°-
15°C for finishing.

Export and Import:

Delphinium is a major cut flower at international level but is grown on a very small scale. It is
mostly grown in UK. So, exact import and export of this flower is not stated yet.

Planting:
Larkspur should be plat at a spacing of 18-24 inches and it can also be planted in pots.

Propagation:
Seeds, Root division and herbaceous stem cuttings (In spring before flowering) are used for its
propagation.

Fertilizers:
16-16-16 NPK should be used for proper nutrition of larkspur.

Other Cultural Practices:

Stacking: Insert supports no later than mid-spring or when the plants reach 12 inches high. Stake
the low-growing perennials with twiggy, brushwood support. The taller, large-flowered
delphiniums need sturdy stakes. Deadhead by cutting spent flower spikes back to small,
flowering side shoots. After delphiniums have finished blooming, cut flower stalks to the ground,
and new, though smaller, flower stalks will develop.

Pests and Diseases:

Larkspur is susceptible to slugs and snails as well as cyclamen mites. Powdery mildew,
Southern blight, bacterial and fungal spots, gray mold, crown and root rot, white rot, rust, white
smut, leaf smut, and damping off occur.

Harvest and Post-Harvest:

This elegant flower is good for a cutting garden. If you take the blooms into the house as soon as
they open, they will bloom again. Add sugar plus lemon juice and bleach to arrangements of
delphinium. You can also use a commercial flower preservative.

Marketing:
The price of Delphinium per stem is $1.56 per stem.