Delphinium patens
zigzag larkspur
California and northern Baja California
Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesAttracts HummingbirdsDeer ResistantDrought Tolerant
Native to North America
Overview
Delphinium patens is a perennial herb growing 8-24 inches (20-60 cm) tall from a cluster of small tuberous roots, with slender, often zigzag or flexuous stems. The mostly basal leaves are rounded in outline and deeply divided into several wedge-shaped lobes, 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) wide, green, and largely withered by flowering time. Deep blue to blue-purple flowers 0.5-0.75 inch (13-19 mm) wide are carried in an open, few-flowered cluster, each with five petal-like sepals and a backward-pointing spur about 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) long. Flowering occurs in spring, from March through May. The flowers are followed by dry, beaked seed pods that split to release flat seeds. Plants go dormant in early summer as soils dry, surviving as underground roots. Native to shaded, seasonally moist slopes, it needs a dry summer rest and rots in soils kept wet through the warm months. All parts contain diterpenoid alkaloids that are toxic to people and livestock if eaten.
Native Range
Native to California and northern Baja California, with related forms extending into the southwestern United States. Grows on shaded slopes, woodland edges, and grassy banks in seasonally moist soils below about 5,000 feet (1,500 m).Suggested Uses
Used in native and woodland gardens, dry shade plantings, and seasonal wildflower areas with summer-dry soils. Suited to spots that stay moist in spring and dry in summer rather than irrigated borders. Combined with other spring-dormant natives that share a dry summer rest.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 2'
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Bloom Information
Blue flowers open from March through May, earlier in coastal and southern sites and later inland. Bloom lasts about three to four weeks before plants go dormant. Flowering depends on winter and early spring rainfall.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Deep blue to blue-purpleFoliage Description
GreenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 3-6 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight