PlantFiles: Larkspur, Candle Delphinium
Delphinium elatum 'Summer Skies'

I've grown delphiniums before, always from seed, and this one was no exception. It grew easily and, to my surprise, bloomed the first year. Each plant had one well filled spike with short lateral branches. The height at blooming was around 5 to 5.5 feet tall.

This was nothing compared to how they bloomed in this, their second year! Each plant had at least 10 spikes easily over 7.5 feet tall! The effect was spectacular; the blue was unearthly/beautiful. We do not do anything out of the ordinary in the way of fertilizer; the garden is organic with buried kitchen scraps being the only fertilizer added.

I don't know how they will come back next year, since they seemed to literally bloom their hearts out (and were for the most part flattened by a severe wind storm), but even if they don't come back, the show was worth it.

I would grow these again in a heartbeat!

This delphinium has the most beautiful color I have ever seen, so delicate. It did bloom the first year. These came in a fall shipment, I think as a "freebie" or "buy one get one" and I literally threw them into the ground down by the mailbox. I don't think I even mulched. It was my surprise when this beauty came poking through. I bought 3 more!

The flowers are beautiful. Bloomed first year.