Northern larkspur (Delphinium brachycentrum)

Other names arctic larkspur

At a glance

Lifecycle: Perennial (hardy)
Exposure: Full sun
Frost limit: −34.4 °C

Cultivation

Prefers a rich well-drained soil and dislikes water-logged soils. A very ornamental plant. Hybridises in the wild with Delphinium glaucum to form the hybrid D. x nutans. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants especially legumes.

Propagation

Seed - sow March/April in a cold frame or May outdoors. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Cuttings of basal shoots in April/May, taken before they become hollow at the base, and planted in a cold frame. Division in spring.

Material uses

A parasiticide is obtained from the leaves. It is quite toxic and so is for external use only.

Habitat

Well-drained tundra slopes from sea level to 1600 metres in the Yukon and Alaska.

Native range

North-western N. America to E. Asia.