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Moore, April

Delphinium tricorne

Delphinium tricorne Michx.

Dwarf Larkspur, Spring Larkspur

Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: DETR

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Finely cut, palmately lobed leaves and loose clusters of spurred, bluish purple to white flowers characterize this 12-30 in. perennial. An open cluster of flowers top an unbranched, fleshy stem with deeply cleft leaves.

The species name refers to the three horn-like fruit pods. The flower structure is similar to that of Rocket Larkspur (Consolida ajacis), which is often cultivated in gardens and may escape to roadsides and waste places; it has only one pistil. Spring Larkspur is the most frequently seen species of Delphinium east of the Plains states. Tall Larkspur (D. exaltatum) reaches a height of 6' (1.8 m) and is leafier, with more flowers; it occurs from Ohio and Pennsylvania south to North Carolina and Tennessee, and in Missouri.

From the Image Gallery

19 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Follicle
Size Notes: Up to about 30 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Blue
Bloom Time: Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , DC , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MD , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , VA , WV
Native Distribution: PA to IA, s. to GA, AL, AR & e. OK
Native Habitat: Moist woods

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Soil Description: Rich, moist soils.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by seed or division.
Seed Collection: Seeds are formed dry in a pod, which call for close observation in order to collect seeds before they are thrown out.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Delphinium tricorne in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Delphinium tricorne in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Delphinium tricorne

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-06
Research By: TWC Staff

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