Larkspur Varieties

Tall Varieties

• Rocket larkspur (Consolida ajacis) has become naturalized in the wild and is now found across the U.S. This species of larkspur has several cultivated varieties, including series varieties that generally vary only in bloom color. Giant Imperial series larkspurs grow up to 4 feet tall with a spread of 1 to 1 1/2 feet. The Cannes series has double flowers of pink, white, blue or lavender on sturdy stems more than 2 feet tall for an overall plant height topping 5 feet. Cannes larkspur is disease resistant and often produces striped and bicolor flowers. Cannes cultivars Stiletta Indigo Blue and Stiletta Rosy Red produce flowers with unusually deep, rich color.

Medium-Sized

• Varieties in the Exquisite series grow about 3 feet tall with flowers of blue, pink or white. Each variety is named for its flower color. Exquisite Carmine King has deep pink flowers, while Exquisite Rose Queen's flowers are pastel pink. Choose the dark, purplish-blue flowers of Exquisite Blue Spire, or the dainty, pale blue flowers of Exquisite Blue Bell. Punctuate your larkspur plantings with Exquisite White King, which produces dazzling, pure white blooms. The QIS series larkspurs grow 2 to 3 feet tall. Seeds in this series are available in mixed colors and in dark blue, dark and light pink, lilac, rose and white. Bunny Bloom larkspur (Consolida ambigua "Bunny Bloom") is an unusual plant. Each of the pink or purple flowers has what appears to be a white bunny face in the center. This larkspur grows 1 foot wide and 3 feet tall.

Dwarf Larkspur

• Dwarf hyacinth larkspur grows only about 18 inches tall and produces white, blue, pink or salmon-colored flowers. Dwarf rocket larkspur grows 1 to 2 feet tall and produces pink, blue and white flowers. Both dwarf larkspur varieties grow easily from seed and are generally available in mixed seed packaging through mail order, websites and garden centers.

Cultivation and Uses

• Larkspur is a cool-season plant and its seeds need temperatures below 65 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate properly. Try placing the seeds in the refrigerator for two weeks before planting them in the garden. Plant in the fall in southern regions and in early spring in northern regions. Sow seeds directly into the garden, placing them 1/8 inch deep and four to six inches apart in rows one to two feet apart. Plant in a sunny area of the garden that has slightly alkaline soil and good drainage. Larkspur makes a beautiful mass planting and works well as a border plant.