Garden delphinium(Delphinium x cultorum) is one of the most beautiful and tallest garden perennials. Lush, soaring inflorescences, openwork leaves and a multitude of varieties rank the delphinium among the most popular plants. See whatcultivation and reproduction of the delphiniumlooks like in the garden. We also advise whichvarieties of delphiniumwill work best in garden beds and what requirements must be met for the plants to bloom profusely: -)
Garden delphinium - Delphinium x cultorum
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Garden delphinium - appearance description
The garden delphinium is an impressively flowering perennial , belonging to the Ranunculaceae family. Its homeland is Africa, but in our climate the plant is doing very well. There are several species of larkspur, and a garden larkspur is used to describe the hybrid varieties with numerous ornamental values. In spring, decorative, large, palmate-feathered leaves grow on long (up to 200 cm high), stiff shoots. In July,soaring inflorescences of the delphiniumconsisting of five-petalled flowers of blue, purple, white, pink and red appear. The flowers, depending on the variety, can be single or full and stay on the plant until September.
Garden delphinium - application
Garden delphiniums, due to their attractive appearanceand the multitude of varieties of different heights, can have many applications. They look beautiful on flowerbeds, contrasting with foxgloves, chrysanthemums, poppies or daylilies.They also look attractive in the company of such plants as: geranium, lupine, rudbeckia, lobelia, aconite, monard, phlox or ornamental grasses. Roses and speedwells will also look good in the company of delphiniums.
Larkspurts work wellas lanes and single-species groups against the background of a lawn or fence. The lower varieties of the larkspur can be grown in containers on the balcony and terrace. They are also suitable for cut flowers as they stay fresh in the vase for a long time.
Note!
The garden delphinium is a slightly poisonous species. After eating any part of the plant, nausea, convulsions, and in the worst case, respiratory paralysis and cardiac arrest may occur.
Garden delphinium - varieties
Due to the great variety,the varieties of the delphinium were divided into three groups :
- Belladonna- is a group of not too tall varieties of the garden delphinium (80-140 cm) with branched inflorescences.This group is represented by the following varieties: 'Sweet Sensation' (a two-color purple-blue variety with full flowers), 'Capri' (light blue with a white eye), 'Casa Blanca' (a variety with white flowers), 'Bellamosum' (dark blue) and 'Piccolo' (blue-flowered, growing up to 80 cm). "
- Elatum- a group of varieties of a larkspur with tall (140-200 cm), soaring and not too strongly branched shoots. It is the most numerous group, which includes: delphinium &39;Dark Blue White Bee&39; (blue with a white eye), Dark Light Blue White Bee (light blue with a yellow eye), &39;Rose White Bee&39; (pink with full flowers), &39;Barbaskyblue&39; (purple-blue), &39;Sweethearts&39; (with huge semi-double flowers of pink color with a white eye), &39;Polarnacht&39; (dark blue with a white eye). "
- Pacific- a group of tall varieties of the garden delphinium (100-180 cm), with very dense inflorescences and large, full or semi-double flowers.They look best in the first year of flowering, therefore they are often treated as annual plants. The following varieties deserve attention: 'Galahad' (with white flowers), 'Blue Bird' (with full blue flowers with a white eye), 'Magic Fountain Dunkelblau' (dark blue full), 'Magic Fountain White' (full white), 'Black Knight' (purple-blue full-flowered).
Garden delphinium - Delphinium x cultorum
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Garden delphinium - cultivation
The larkspurts prefer a sunny, quiet and warm positionThese perennials do not tolerate the lack of sun. In the shade, they become too bulky and bloom poorly or do not produce any inflorescences at all. The soil for the delphinium should be fertile, humus, well-drained, alkaline and moist. A garden delphinium can also cope with a weaker position.
Larkspur is not very demanding to cultivateAfter the first flowering, the plants should be fed with compost and their faded inflorescences should be trimmed at a height of about 10 cm above the ground. Thanks to this, they should bloom again in the second half of summer. Before the winter, the larkspur is trimmed again, right next to the ground.
Fertilization of the garden delphiniumis carried out once a year - in the spring. It is best to use a slow-release compound fertilizer, such as Substral OSMOCOTE. The larkspur should be fertilized carefully as they are very sensitive to soil salinity. That is why I recommend a slow-release fertilizer (slow release of fertilizer ingredients reduces the risk of over-fertilization).
Plants can cope with short-term drought, which is helped by a deep root system. However, in the case of long-term lack of rainfall, it is necessary towater the larkspurRemember to pour the water directly on the ground, avoiding soaking the leaves and flowers of the plant.Thanks to this, we will reduce the risk of larkspur infection by fungal diseases.
Garden delphinium - Delphinium x cultorum
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Tall varieties of the larkspur should be stakedLush inflorescences set on long shoots are very often broken by stronger gusts of wind. Tie them to the stakes will prevent such losses.
Garden delphiniums are sufficiently resistant to low temperaturesbut young seedlings should be protected for the winter. They can be covered with agrotextile or mulched with bark or leaves, which will protect the soil from freezing and excessive water evaporation.
When planting delphiniums, adjust the spacing to the requirements of the group , to which a given variety belongs. Thus, they will be provided with enough space to grow freely. And so, for the Belladonna group, the recommended spacing is 50 x 50 cm, for the Elatum group, the spacing is 90 x 35-50 cm, and for the Pacific group - 25 x 25 cm in one-year cultivation, and 50 x 50 cm in two-year cultivation.
Garden delphinium - Delphinium x cultorum
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Garden delphinium - reproduction
The delphinium can be reproduced in two ways . The Pacific delphinium varieties are reproduced by seed, while the Elatum and Belladonna groups are better reproduced by division.
Propagation of the delphinium by divisionis performed in spring (from March to April) or in August after flowering. Mother plants should be stored in a cool place at 2 ° C until division in spring. They are then divided into 5-10 parts, each of which should have a growth cone and buds. Such fragments from the spring division can be planted in pots or boxes, and those from a later date - directly into the ground.
Larkspur seeds are sownin late January / early February (greenhouse) or straight into the ground right after harvesting.The seeds are sown in boxes filled with peat-cortex substrate. We do not cover because they need light to germinate. The optimum temperature for varieties from the Elatum and Pacific group is 12-14 °, and for those from the Belladonna group 22 ° C. After 4-6 weeks from sowing, pick the seedlings into individual pots. We plant the plants permanently until the end of September. Please note that plants obtained from self-harvested seeds may not repeat the characteristics of the mother plant.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
