Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Ranunculaceae

Genus:

Delphinium

Species:

Delphinium cardinale

USDA Symbol:

DECA2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Geophyte

Height:

180 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

red, scarlet

Wildlife Benefits

Hummingbirds:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented hummingbird visits (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

hummingbirds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from deep tuberous roots following fire in its native chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitats.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy or rocky soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to dry slopes and chaparral

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination. Cold stratification improves germination rates significantly.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI