Delphinium Group Pacific-hybrid Cameliard - Larkspur

Delphinium pacific giant Cameliard is a very hardy perennial herbaceous plant sought after for its bright sky-blue flowers. Standing at 1.5m (5ft) tall, it reveals large spikes of double lavender flowers with mauve highlights, and white at its centre, starting from the month of June.

The flowering of the Cameliard Larkspur, always highly noticeable in the garden, takes place in June-July. The tall stems bear clusters of 7cm (3in) diameter flowers, highly visited by butterflies, composed of 5 lanceolate and pointed petals, slightly curled, arranged in a corolla. One of the petals has an upright and incurved spur. The flowers have a satin-like appearance that breaks down their lavender blue colour into mauve and deeper blue highlights, contrasting delightfully with a bouquet of white stamens called "fly".

Delphinium pacific giant Cameliard comes from a woody rhizome that vertically sinks into the soil. An elegant plant with a robust tapered silhouette, it forms a basal clump of deciduous foliage, from which numerous flowering stems emerge in summer. The foliage is lobed and palmate (hence the name Larkspur), acid-green, and the leaves have long petioles. This perennial does not have a very long lifespan and is often grown as a biennial.

The Cameliard Larkspur belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. It is a hybrid belonging to the Pacific series obtained in California, mainly from the Delphinium elatum species. The latter includes most of the large delphiniums with tightly packed flowers on generally unbranched tall flower stems. These varieties flower from summer to autumn, provided that the flowering stems are cut as they fade, and they make excellent cut flowers.

The height of the tall Larkspurs can add structure and balance to the garden. When planted individually, they will add volume and lightness against a dark background of hedges or conifers. They will appreciate a sunny position sheltered from strong winds in deep and humus-rich soil, remaining moist even in summer. You can mix them with other pink and blue delphiniums and combine them with Globemaster alliums to play with contrasting shapes, as well as perennial geraniums or baby's breath for a touch of lightness. They will integrate equally well into an ordered and geometric flowerbed or a country-style garden. If you want to limit staking, which is necessary but not always aesthetically pleasing, you can lean your delphiniums against shrubs (deutzias, lilacs, abelias...), a wall, or a hedge at the back of the flowerbed.

Note: From March to September, the stems of our delphiniums are pruned short to promote better branching of the stump and achieve optimal rooting. This pruning also prevents the stems from breaking during transport.