Other Names:  syn. Delphinium ajacis, Consolida ambigua

Description:

This naturalized variety likes even moisture in soil that is well drained; impressive spikes of rose or white flowers appear in the summer; lovely when massed along borders

Ornamental Features

Giant Larkspur features bold spikes of rose flowers with white overtones rising above the foliage from early to late summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its deeply cut lobed leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Giant Larkspur is an herbaceous perennial with a rigidly upright and towering form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects
• Disease

Giant Larkspur is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Vertical Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Giant Larkspur will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 3 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. The flower stalks can be weak and so it may require staking in exposed sites or excessively rich soils. It grows at a medium rate, and tends to be biennial, meaning that it puts on vegetative growth the first year, flowers the second, and then dies. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Giant Larkspur is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.