Delphinium is a herbaceous plant with lush inflorescences. It belongs to the Ranunculaceae family and has a fairly wide habitat: Africa, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, North America. Perennial delphinium is called spur or larkspur, and one-year dolphin. This flower is associated with a romantic story that a young man who revived a statue was turned by the gods into a dolphin. To console her beloved, the dolphin brought the girl beautiful flowers of shades of the sea. All species plants bloom in blue, purple and blue. Shades of pink, yellow or white appeared in hybrids as a result of selection.
Plant description
Delphinium is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant with a height of 10 cm to 3 m. Its rhizome is rod-shaped, with many thin lateral processes. The stem in the form of a hollow tube with fleshy edges grows vertically. Usually it is slightly branched, but pinching gives a good branching effect.
Petiole leaves on the shoot grow again. They have an arcuate structure and are deeply dissected into oval segments with a pointed edge and uneven teeth on the sides. There may be 3-7.
The flowering period begins in late June and lasts 20-25 days. Flowers adorn the top of the stem and are collected in panicled (3-15 flowers) or pyramidal (50-80 flowers) inflorescences. Their length can reach 1 m. Some species exude a pleasant sweetish aroma.
Small flowers have an irregular structure, but all of them are characterized by the presence of a spur - a narrow hollow outgrowth in which there are 2 nectaries. It is for this sweet liquid that insects or hummingbirds fly in while pollinating plants. An ocellus of a lighter yellow or cream color is formed in the center of the corolla.
After pollination, the fruits of the leaflet ripen. They contain oblong seeds with a wrinkled dark brown surface. They retain the ability to germinate up to 4 years. In 1 g of planting material are 600-700 units.
Like most members of the Buttercup family, the delphinium is poisonous! After working with it, wash your hands thoroughly. Also, it is not allowed to eat any parts of the plant by animals and children.
Types and varieties of delphinium
All varieties of delphinium, and there are about 370 of them, can be divided into annual (40 species) and perennial (300-330 species) plants. More than 100 of them grow on the territory of Russia.
Delphinium field. Annual grasses with shoots 180-200 cm high in the middle of summer bloom pyramidal inflorescences with simple or double flowers of pink, white, lilac, blue hues. Flowering continues until the end of summer.
Large-flowered delphinium. Annuals with a height of not more than 50-80 cm have a branched vertical stem with easy pubescence. Ternate leaves with linear lobes grow on it. The flowers are not too large, they are grouped into dense brushes and bloom in July-August. Petals have a rich blue or blue color.
Delphinium high. Plants live in Central Asia and reach a height of 1-3 m. The stems and leaves are covered with a sparse pile. The foliage is bright green. In June, bright dense brushes of 10-60 blue buds bloom for 3 weeks.
Hybrid delphiniums are most often found in culture. They are based on the last two species. There are a lot of varieties. Some of them are combined into whole groups. The most striking of them:
- Delphinium New Zealand. Plants with a height of about 2 m spread semi-double and double flowers with a diameter of 7-9 cm. Varieties are resistant to colds and diseases (Giant, Roksolana).
- Belladonna (blue delphinium). One of the first plant groups obtained. Often blooms twice a year. Pyramidal inflorescences have a rich purple or blue color and consist of simple flowers with a diameter of up to 5 cm (Piccolo, Balaton, Lord Battler).
- Delphinium Pacific. The varietal group was obtained at the beginning of the 20th century by selection of seedlings, therefore, during seed propagation it retains maternal characters. Plants are distinguished by large, variously colored flowers with a contrasting eye. They are quite vulnerable to disease and short-lived (Lancelot, Summer Skyes, Black night).
- Delphinium scottish. Varieties are distinguished by super double beautiful flowers. Coloring is pink, purple, blue (Flamenco, Moonlight, Crystal shine).
- Blueberry pie. Very unusual variety with spectacular super terry inflorescences. Blue petals are located on the outer edge, above them are several rows of corrugated purple, and the core is represented by a pistachio crown.
Breeding methods
Delphinium reproduces equally well by seeds, division of the bush and cuttings. The seed method allows you to immediately get a large number of plants, but it is recommended to buy planting material in stores, as many varietal plants and hybrids do not transmit decorative characters to offspring. Long-term germination remains only when storing seeds in a cool place, for example, in the refrigerator.
A prerequisite for germination is stratification, planting is carried out in February, in pots with a mixture of equal parts of compost, sand, garden soil and peat. The soil mixture should be disinfected. Before planting, the seeds are disinfected in a strong solution of potassium permanganate and slightly dried. They are placed at a depth of 3 mm and sprayed with clean, cool water. For germination, seeds need darkness, so the container is covered with an opaque material and kept at a temperature of + 10 ... + 15 ° C. After 2-4 days, it is transferred for a day to the refrigerator or to an unheated balcony (cooling to -5 ° C is allowed).
After 10-15 days, seedlings appear. From this moment, immediately remove the film and regularly moisten the soil. Healthy saturated green sprouts with 2-3 leaves dive in separate pots. Seedlings should be kept at temperatures up to + 20 ° C. The soil is moistened with great care and the top layer is loosened, as the seedlings are susceptible to infection by the black leg. On warm days it is exposed to fresh air. In April-May, before transplanting into the open ground, the plants manage to be fed 1-2 times with a solution of universal mineral fertilizer.
In spring or already in September, at the end of flowering, the delphinium can be divided. This procedure is recommended for plants older than 8-10 years. The bush is completely dug up and with great care they release the rhizome from the soil. Then the shoots are cut into several parts, trying not to even touch the growth points. Slices are treated with charcoal. Delenki immediately planted in a new place and sprinkled with soil mixed with compost, humus and ash. Delphinium suffers a transplant rather hard, so the first time it will hurt and wither, which means it will need more thorough care.
Propagation by green cuttings is considered the most time-consuming, therefore it is used only in rare cases. As cuttings use shoots 5-8 cm long, cut from young plants. The slice is made as close to the soil as possible. It is important that no dirt enters the internal cavity. The stem is treated with a growth stimulant and planted in loose fertile soil. The pot is kept in a warm room. When planting in open ground, the plant is covered with banks and protected from direct sunlight. After 2 weeks, make a solution of mineral fertilizers. In spring cuttings, by the beginning of autumn, full-fledged young plants will be ready, able to tolerate wintering on the street.
Landing and care
Dolphinium planting in open ground is planned for late spring, when stable warm weather is established. It is advisable to choose partial shade areas that are well lit in the morning. For each plant, a hole is prepared with a depth and width of 40 cm. The distance, depending on the height of the plant, is 50-70 cm. Half a bucket of sand, compost, ash and mineral fertilizer are poured onto the bottom of each hole. Then they lay out ordinary garden soil so that top dressing does not touch the root. Landing is carried out to the depth of the root system. The soil is compacted and watered abundantly. Within 5-7 days, seedlings are best kept under plastic or glass jars.
Delphinium should be watered only in the absence of precipitation. For him, a slight drought is preferable than stagnation of moisture at the roots. The surface of the soil is regularly loosened and weeds removed. In the spring it is better to mulch the surface.
Regular top dressing is very important for long and plentiful flowering. On fertile soil, they are applied three times a year: for the first time, when the shoots of the plant reach a height of 15-20 cm, repeatedly during the budding period and the last time the flowers begin to wilt. You can use mineral complexes (superphosphate, nitrate) or organics (mullein, compost).
Delphinium shoots must be cut periodically, then they will branch better and form a thicker bush. It is worth the vegetation to reach a height of 30 cm, it is shortened by 10 cm. Withered inflorescences are also removed in a timely manner. In this case, the onset of repeated flowering is likely. Rather thin stems with high overgrowth can break and lie down, so pegs are driven in near the bush and tied up.
In autumn, when the leaves fade, and the flowers and shoots dry, the shoot is cut to a height of 30-40 cm. Sections must be lubricated with clay so that water does not enter the cavity and the fungus does not develop. Garden delphiniums are resistant even to severe frosts (up to -35 ... -45 ° C). In particularly severe and snowless winters, it is recommended to cover the soil with straw and fallen leaves. It is not the cold that can cause the most damage, but the excess of moisture during snow melting; therefore, in the spring, dig grooves along the flower bed to drain the water.
The delphinium is affected by powdery mildew, a black leg, ramularis leaves, rust. Having found spots on the leaves, they should be cut and treated with a fungicide. From parasites slugs, caterpillars, a delphinium fly, aphids bother. Pests are helped by insecticides and acaricides, as well as special traps for slugs from cabbage leaves or spraying the soil with a weak solution of whiteness.
Use in landscape design
The delphinium in culture is used to set bright accents, and high varieties in group linear plantings can serve for zoning the territory. Use it in the background of a flower garden, mixborder or rabatka. Lush dense inflorescences of decorative varieties can be combined, making up a variety of compositions.
By flowering time, delphiniums go immediately after irises and peonies, which must be taken into account to create a flower bed with continuous flowering. Roses, lilies, phloxes, daisies and carnations can make up a flower garden company. Large inflorescences are suitable for cutting and composing bouquet compositions.
