24 Types of Delphinium Varieties to Grow
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The magnificent Delphinium is one of the few flowers that attract the interest of gardeners and flower lovers. With its tall spires of gorgeous blue flowers that can range from a deep royal blue to a light and dreamy sky blue, the blue Delphinium rules foremost among them.
Many gardeners wish to grow these stunning blooms because of the charm they bring to any garden with their incredible presence. The Blue Delphinium is a rare and much-anticipated seasonal delight that never fails to amaze those who see its magnificence, whether growing in a cottage garden or border setting.
If you’re an admirer of cottage-garden design ideas, there are many lovely varieties of delphiniums to add to your planting list.
Delphinium and Its Types
The origins of delphiniums can be found in the mythology of the classical Greeks. In reality, the name Delphinium is derived from the Greek word “delphis,” which means dolphin, because the flower’s bud resembles a dolphin’s nose. Since delphiniums have been grown for thousands of years, they are often regarded as must-have garden plants.
Delphiniums are beautiful flowers that come in many different colours and grow on tall spikes. They grow well in cold climates and can also grow in the heat with protection. They are easy to take care of and will come back year after year.
People all over the world love them for their charming shape and colours. They are also called Larkspur and have bushy or tall, column-like shapes. The flowers can be white, pink, violet, or indigo, and some types have leaves that look like compound leaves.
There are also 3 botanical groupings: Belladonna Group, Elatum Group, and Grandiflorum Group. There are different types of delphiniums, including.
- Aurora Hybrids
- Delphina Hybrids
- Guardian Series
- Highlander Series
- Magic Fountains
- New Zealand Hybrids
- Pacific Giant Hybrids.
If you want to add tall perennials to your garden, we have the right delphinium varieties for you. Let’s explore our favourite 24 delphinium types that will attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden.
1. Delphinium Blue Lace
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H5
Height: 5-6 Feet
Delphinium Blue Lace is a tall flower with deep blue petals and a pink centre, attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators. The blooms have soft blue lace on the outside of the petals. It grows well in part or full sun and is a great addition to any garden, adding a dramatic pop of colour.
The flowers are fully double with a frilly centre touched with a slight blush of lavender-pink, making them a spectacle to behold. The blue is rich and sometimes displays purple flushes and splashes, creating a stunning contrast when grown with darker or paler blues or whites.
2. Delphinium Cobalt Dreams
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3 – H8
Height: 4-6 Feet
If you’re looking for a bold blue statement in your garden, ‘Cobalt Dreams’ is the delphinium for you. This New Zealand hybrid boasts a double row of electric blue flowers with a fluffy white eye. It’s a tall variety making it an eye-catching backdrop in any garden.
Give cobalt dreams plenty of room to grow and enjoy its striking beauty from a distance. While it should be planted in a protected area to prevent the stalks from snapping, the stunning contrast of the white bees against the bright petals is worth the extra care.
3. Delphinium Galahad
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3 – H7
Height: 4-6 Feet
Galahad is a stunning white delphinium with double rows of papery white petals and a fluffy white eye. It looks great in the background of a garden, especially when illuminated at night. For an elegant bridal-white display, plant ‘Galahad’ alongside darker purple delphiniums, or let it stand alone for a striking snowy display.
They also need protection from harsh weather conditions and may require staking or caging, depending on where it is planted. You have to ensure it has full sun exposure and moderately moist, well-draining soil to grow and blossom.
4. Delphinium Blue Bird
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3 – H8
Height: 3-6 Feet
Blue Bird Delphinium is known for its densely packed dark blue flowers that have a white centre which provides a nice contrast, making them stand out in the back of garden beds. The periwinkle blue flowers easily brighten up any garden.
This variety needs staking and protection from strong winds due to its height, and cut the flowers for a stunning addition to any bouquet. The Pacific Giant Blue Bird delphinium is winter-hardy to zone 3 and is perfect for the cottage garden or back of borders.
5. Delphinium Bruce
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H5
Height: 3-7 Feet
Delphinium Bruce is an eye-catching addition to any cottage garden, with towers of dark violet-purple flowers with brown eyes. This tall plant produces flowers twice throughout its growing season, giving it a long-lasting choice.
Bruce’s Delphinium is the ideal fit for a blue garden colour scheme. The highly lobed leaves, which have a glossy shine, offer a pleasing appearance. Racemes from this variety of plants have lengths of over 1 m and are covered in deep purple blooms with petals that gradually get darker towards the edges.
6. Delphinium Million Dollar Blue
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H7
Height: 2-3 Feet
Blue is a rare colour in the garden, especially true blue. That’s why Million Dollar Blue is such a striking and special delphinium variety. It has a black bee which enhances the blueness of the flower. While it isn’t exceptionally tall, the large flowers mean this variety may require staking if you can’t provide a sheltered location.
Million Dollar Blue blooms in early to mid-summer, adding a beautiful pop of colour to your garden. It prefers full sun and well-draining soil. After immense growth, it can tolerate some drought. This variety is also deer-resistant, making it a great choice for gardens in areas with deer populations.
7. Delphinium Jill Curley
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H7
Height: 6-7 Feet
Delphinium Jill Curley is a tall flowering plant making it perfect for adding height to your garden. The semi-double white flowers can grow in any type of soil, and the plant is very low maintenance. It grows in full sun and with average moisture.
The flowers have a diameter of around three inches. The two-meter-tall stems that support the pure white, semi-double blooms feature an off-white eye. The flowers on this blossomy plant are not only huge but also plentiful as well.
8. Delphinium Faust
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H5
Height: 5-6 Feet
Delphinium Faust is a popular and classic variety with beautiful deep blue/purple flowers and a dark eye. They are tall and heavy, making them great for cutting flowers, but they may require staking and protection from the elements. They are low-maintenance and grow best in full sun and rich soil.
Butterflies and bees like this plant, which is quite attractive and perfect for cottage gardens. Also, the slugs are very attracted to these flowers. Even though it only grows to an average, the dark, sharply split leaves and the colourful, upright clusters of flowers make it an appealing option for an ornamental plant.
9. Delphinium Highlander Blueberry Pie
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H4-H9
Height: 2-4 Feet
The Highlander Blueberry Pie delphinium is a unique plant with soft blue flowers that have a light pink centre and double petals that bloom from spring to midsummer. These stunning blooms are loved as cut flowers and look lovely as planted on the edges of a garden. They will grow best in sandy or loamy soil and full sun. To promote fresh blooms in late summer or fall, remove any flowers that have died.
10. Delphinium Black Knight
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H8
Height: 5-6 Feet
Delphinium Black Knight is a plant with deep velvety purple semi-double flowers and a small black centre. It makes a dramatic backdrop when planted at the back of garden beds. This Pacific Giant hybrid can be combined with lighter-hued perennials for a beautiful contrast. To keep the plant upright, it will need support, and planting it along the back fence can provide protection from the elements.
Delphinium Black Knight is a low-maintenance plant that requires minimal care and can be a beautiful addition to any garden. When combined with other delphinium varieties like ‘Blue Lace,’ ‘Guinevere,’ and ‘Galahad,’ it can create a thrilling border.
11. Delphinium Purple Velvet
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H5
Height: 5 Feet
To add a bold and regal colour to any flower bed, one can always opt for delphinium purple velvet. It features deep-purple petals with black eyes and is perfect for creating vertical blocks of colours. This branching variety of delphinium is especially flowery and can produce 80cm spikes with semi-double flowers.
The flowers have a velvety sheen that enhances their charms, and the colour is brilliant purple with a near-mauve centre. Whether included in a romantic, cottage-style scheme or modern garden, Delphinium Purple Velvet is sure to turn heads and add a touch of elegance to any landscape.
12. Delphinium Guardian Lavender
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H4-H7
Height: 2-3 Feet
A shorter form of delphinium with huge long spikes of flowers that are the colour of soft pink and blue cotton candy. It’s developed in a way that blooms early. This plant is also loved by florists. The large flowers on the shorter stems are ideal for pots and can be combined with other plants like diamond frost or white alyssum for a whimsical container combination.
Delphinium Guardian Lavender is perfect for containers. The lavender flowers of this plant are attractive enough to the birds and bees, which makes it a great choice for a pollinator garden. It grows best in bright and indirect light and can add a pop of colour and beauty to any landscape.
13. Delphinium Astolat
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H8
Height: 4-6 Feet
A Delphinium Astolat has beautiful purple flowers that bloom continuously from early to midsummer. The Pacific Giant hybrid Delphinium Astolat enjoys bright sunshine and wet, draining soil. It produces semi-double lavender or pink blossoms.
Early planting and wind protection are essential if you want them to stay upright. The plant is poisonous to animals like deer and rabbits. It’s crucial to keep a watch out for pests like slugs, caterpillars, snails, and leaf miners since they may potentially infest the plants.
14. Delphinium Guinevere
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H8
Height: 4-6 Feet
A lovely perennial flower called Delphinium Guinevere resembles its annual relative, larkspur. It features beautiful, high-rising, soft, and delicate pale pink spikes with a white eye. The flower accompanies white ones in the garden beautifully when combined with delphiniums that have a delicate blue colour like “Morning Lights” or “Blue Lace”. It may be matched with a red rose like the hybrid tea rose variety “Explorer” for greater contrast.
To ensure that it grows upright and to ensure that the flowers survive as long as possible, this delphinium should be placed in a sheltered area. These Pacific Giant hybrids have been adorned with white bees and lavender-pink blossoms.
15. Delphinium Blue Nile
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H5
Height: 5 Feet
A magnificent delphinium called Blue Nile has beautiful blossoms with aquamarine-blue petals and white eyes. The show-stopping flowers are a strong mid-blue to a deep purplish blue, sometimes with purple tinges and flushes.
The Delphinium Blue Nile looks best when grown alongside milder, deeper blues or when it is surrounded by white blossoms. The pure white eyes enhance the eye’s beautiful blue colours. The gorgeous semi-double flowers of the delphinium Blue Nile will provide a burst of colour to any garden.
16. Delphinium Sungleam
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H7
Height: 5-6 Feet
A unique and lovely kind of delphinium is the one known as Sungleam. It features huge, semi-double flowers that are similar to buttered popcorn in colour and with a yellow bee. They would look great in a bouquet of cut flowers and is ideal for the backside of garden beds in early summer and again in early fall.
It should be protected from the weather, though, since a storm might easily damage the fragile, pale yellow petals. To ensure that they stand tall, the big stems will require support. It may be paired with achillea, geraniums, or other cottage garden plants to create a fantastic atmosphere.
17. Delphinium Princess Caroline
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H7
Height: 2-3 Feet
‘Princess Caroline’ delphiniums are a special kind of delphinium. It stands out from the typical blue or purple delphiniums with fluffy semi-double flowers in a dark coral to light crimson colour. Due to its modest height and medium size, the plant doesn’t need to be anchored.
Princess Caroline is ideal for adding a splash of colour to your landscape, particularly when planted next to yellow coreopsis or up against a house with yellow or white walls. Cutting down the leaves by midsummer will promote new growth and prevent fungal infections. Its colour is symbolic of an Alaska fish that has just been caught on a sunny afternoon.
18. Delphinium Magic Fountain Lavender
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H7
Height: 2-3 Feet
The Delphinium Magic Fountain Lavender is a perfect flower to grow if you like light purple shades. It is a short plant, growing only up to 3 feet tall, making it an ideal option for small gardens. This low-maintenance plant is perfect for those who want to attract birds to their garden. Its beautiful lavender blooms will add a perfect touch to your garden with its subtle colour. If you’re looking for a small, easy-to-care-for plant that will attract wildlife, this variation is the perfect choice for you.
19. Delphinium Pagan Purples
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H7
Height: 5-6 Feet
Delphinium Pagan Purples is a cold-hardy variety of delphinium with bold, double-blooming purple flowers. It can tolerate high humidity and heat and can grow up to 6 feet tall. This variety thrives in full or partial sunlight and well-drained soil.
20. Delphinium Highlander Bolero
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H7
Height: 2-4 Feet
Delphinium Highlander Bolero is a huge double blossom. The flowers are bright purple on the outer petals that fade into white centres. It’s fluffy and beautiful and great for containers or mixed garden beds. The flowers have up to 58 petals on each bloom and are perfect as cut flowers.
To promote another round of blooms, remove spent flowers in late summer or fall. This variety has unique pom-pom flowers with white centres and dark blue-purple fringes that bloom during the summer, adding charm to any garden. It’s easy to care for and ideal for adding height to your garden.
21. Delphinium Spindrift
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H7
Height: 5-6 Feet
Delphinium ‘Spindrift’ is a charming and delicate variety of Delphinium. It has a bushy habit and produces numerous floral spikes adorned with semi-double flowers. The flowers are soft pastel lilac with many petals that display subtle blue tints. The white eye at the centre of the flower adds to its beauty and elegance.
This variety of Delphinium is perfect for planting in mixed borders or cottage-style gardens where it can complement other pastel flowers. It is a hardy plant that is tolerant of various soil types and can grow in full sun to partial shade. With proper care, this plant can bloom from early summer to late fall, providing long-lasting beauty in the garden.
22. Delphinium Gillian Dallas
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H7
Height: 5-6 Feet
Delphinium ‘Gillian Dallas’ is a plant with beautiful silvery-amethyst flowers that bloom in the summer. It is a classic cottage garden variety that is easy to grow and maintain. This delphinium can grow up to six feet tall, making it perfect for a focal point in the garden. Its white eyes add an extra layer of beauty to the flower.
Gillian Dallas prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. This plant is a hardy perennial, meaning it can survive cold winters and come back year after year. Its blooms are great for cutting, making it a wonderful addition to any floral arrangement, like bouquets.
23. Delphinium Blue Elf
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H7
Height: 1-2 Feet
Delphinium ‘Blue Elf’ is a charming dwarf plant that belongs to the Grandiflorum Group. It has lacey leaves, thin stalks and tiny trumpet-shaped blue flowers that are flanked with spikes. Despite its delicate appearance, ‘Blue Elf’ is just as hardy as other delphiniums. This only grows to be 12 inches tall, making it perfect for decorative containers on a front stoop.
It looks beautiful when planted with other spring flowers, such as lilac-coloured violas. The flowers bloom from late spring to late summer and are excellent for cutting. The deeply cut ferny compound leaves remain greyish-green throughout the season.
24. Delphinium King Arthur
Plant Type: Perennial
Hardiness: H3-H8
Height: 4-6 Feet
Delphinium King Arthur is a variety of delphinium that belongs to the Excalibur series, named after characters from the Arthurian legend. The plant is tall and features a semi-double design, deep purple colour with a white centre. It’s best grown in a sheltered location and is essential to keep the flowers upright.
Delphinium King Arthur is easy to care for and does well in any type of soil and full sun, but it should be protected from strong winds. It is a great way to incorporate a touch of royalty into your garden or yard.
Finishing in the Delphinium Style
Delphiniums are a beautiful and versatile addition to any garden. With so many different varieties to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. However, by reading through this list and considering your needs in terms of size and colour, you can select the perfect delphinium variety for your garden.
Their strong colours and architectural design perform incredibly well in modern-day plots. Whether you are a seasoned gardener or a beginner looking to add some vertical interest to your garden, there is sure to be a Delphinium variety that will capture your heart.
