No images found for this plant ID: 14354.
Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "14354" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.
dwarf larkspur
Scientific Name: Delphinium tricorne
Family: Ranunculaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Dwarf Larkspur (Delphinium tricorne)
Considerations for Pets
- Like other larkspurs, Delphinium tricorne has a spur-like structure on its flowers.
Considerations for Children
- The plant produces pods as fruit.
Common Names
- Dwarf Larkspur
- Spring Larkspur
- Rock Larkspur
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Delphinium tricorne Michx.
- Family: Ranunculaceae
- Synonyms: Delphinium nuttallianum, Delphinium depauperatum (slim larkspur). Note that some sources consider Delphinium depauperatum to be a distinct species also known as Dwarf Larkspur.
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to North America.
- Uncommon in the mountains, rare in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain.
- Grows in rich, moist woods.
- Often found in or along the edges of woods.
- Prefers a moist, sheltered environment.
- Observed in western Pennsylvania along the Youghiogheny River Trail.
- Observed in Washington Co., Maryland.
- Found blooming near creeks in the woods.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Herbaceous perennial plant.
- Single-stemmed perennial with an upright flower stalk.
- Can be 8-24 inches tall.
- Erect, little-branched herb 1 to 3 feet tall.
- Leaves are alternately placed and slender-stalked, deeply divided into 5 to 7 nearly separate lobes.
- Basal leaves are in a loose cluster on long petioles.
- Bears racemes of bluish-purple flowers, sometimes blue and white.
- Flowers bloom from March to May.
- Grows from tuberous roots and a small corm.
- Stems are erect, solitary, usually stout, unbranched to sparingly branched, hollow, somewhat succulent, glabrous.
Ecological Role
- Thrives in circumneutral to slightly alkaline, woodsy soil, rich in organic material.
- Prefers open shade with spring sun and medium to moderately dry moisture levels in rich, rocky, or loamy soil.
Historical/Traditional Uses
- In Europe, larkspurs have been used for a variety of medical purposes.
Quirky Facts
- Dwarf Larkspur blooms earlier than other Delphiniums, adding beauty to early spring.
- The flower has a pedicel which is shorter than the spur and held upright, close to the stem.
Resources
- Dave's Garden
- Discover Life
- California Academy of Sciences