Delphinium
One of the few flowers that delivers a true, saturated blue — the pigment is real, not dyed. Delphinium provides the vertical line in summer wedding arrangements, reaching 150 cm on strong stems. The Belladonna group (single-flowered) is more airy; the Elatum group (double-flowered spikes) is denser.
| Family | Ranunculaceae |
|---|---|
| Origin | Northern hemisphere; commercially grown Netherlands, Ecuador, Colombia |
| Peak season | June, July, August |
| Availability | May to October |
| Stem length | 80–150 cm |
| Vase life | 5–10 days |
| Colors | white, blue, lavender, purple, pink |
| Price tier | mid |
Cut on a diagonal. Deep water is fine — hollow stem drinks heavily.
- •Hollow stem breaks under weight — support tall stems
- •The true source of a real blue in floristry (few flowers are naturally blue)
- •Toxic if ingested — keep away from pets and children
- •Tall varieties (150 cm) dominate ceremony structures
8 named delphinium cultivars from the Lacy Bird master catalogue — each a distinct commercial variety.
Entries marked ✦ come from the Acanta master catalogue — the shared database of cut flowers, forms, colours and named varieties that florists and studios build on. The rest are our editorial genus reference. What is Acanta →
Bouquet Builder — by Lacy BirdDesign the bouquet. See it as a photo.
Botanical reference
- Also known as
- larkspur (annual form), Aconitella, Aconitopsis, Calcatrippa, Ceratosanthus, Ceratostanthus, Chienia, Consolida, Delphidium, Delphinastrum, Diedropetala, Phledinium
- Distribution
- Afghanistan, Alabama, Alaska, Albania, Alberta, Aleutian Is., Algeria, Altay, Amur, Arizona
- Cold storage
- 0–1 °C
- Ethylene sensitivity
- very sensitive
Open-data sources: GBIF, Wikidata (CC0/CC BY), USDA Agriculture Handbook 66 (public domain)
Frequently asked questions
When is Delphinium in season?
Delphinium peaks in June, July, August, and florists can usually source it May to October. Availability shifts by region and greenhouse supply.
How long does Delphinium last in a vase?
Expect 5–10 days with proper conditioning — a clean vase, fresh water every couple of days, flower food, and a cool spot away from ripening fruit and direct heat.
What can I use instead of Delphinium?
Good substitutes for Delphinium include Snapdragon, Monkshood. Match on look, colour and season — our substitute finder ranks the closest alternatives.
What does Delphinium symbolise?
Delphinium is associated with ardent attachment, big-heartedness, positivity.
How do you care for cut Delphinium?
Hollow stem breaks under weight — support tall stems
Related flowers
Free to quote and cite with attribution and a link back, for non-commercial and editorial use (blogs, journalism, classrooms, research).
Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — “Delphinium”. https://lacybird.com/flowers/delphinium/<a href="https://lacybird.com/flowers/delphinium/">Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — Delphinium</a>