DELPHINIUM 



(From the Greek name for the plant, delphinion derived from delphin, a dolphin, 

 from a supposed resemblance in the flower) 



Ranunculdceee 



lo. Delphinium English Hybrids {D. eldtum, hybrid vars.; 

 D. exaltdtum, hybrid vars.; D. hybridum, vars.) 



English Name: Hybrid larkspurs. 



HORTICULTURAL HYBRIDS 

 TYPE FROM EUROPE 



MID-JUNE TO MID-JULY 

 EARLY SEPTEMBER, MID-OCTOBER 



CURIOUSLY shaped, single, semi-double, or double flowers from one 

 to two inches across, varying through all shades from lightest blue 

 to dark purple, with blue, 

 black, white, or gray cen- 

 tres, borne on stately and 

 graceful spikes from one 

 to two feet long on erect 

 branching stems from 

 four to eight feet high. 

 Foliage abundant, finely 

 cut, and decorative. 



The hybrid Delph- 

 iniums are indispensable 

 in the herbaceous border 

 on account of their mag- 

 nificent habit, the beauti- 

 ful color of their flowers, 

 and their generous bloom. 

 They are also extremely 

 eff"ective in masses against 

 shrubbery. They should 

 always be planted against 

 a background as the 

 flowers show rather poorly 

 against a blue sky; un- 

 hke most flowers, the 

 different shades of the 

 different varieties are 

 never discordant, and a 

 group of changing blue tints is more iridescent and effective than one 

 composed of a single variety. They are also excellent for cutting. 



86 



