Native Plants

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Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Delphinium trolliifolium

Delphinium trolliifolium A. Gray

Columbian Larkspur, Cow Poison

Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: DETR2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A stately plant with stout, hollow, leafy, generally tall stems and bilaterally symmetrical, deep purplish-blue flowers in long loose racemes; upper stems and flower stalks commonly covered with minute, yellowish hairs.

This handsome native species is common in wet parts of the Northwest. Members of the genus Delphinium are known as both delphinium and larkspur. Gardeners generally call the tall, perennial species delphinium and the smaller, annual species larkspur. Botanists usually call all species delphinium. Cattle ranchers, who despise the plants because of their toxicity to livestock, call all species larkspur.

From the Image Gallery

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Follicle
Size Notes: Up to about 6 feet tall, usually shorter.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Blue , Purple
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: CA , OR
Native Distribution: Southern Washington south to northern California.
Native Habitat: Moist shady woods and wet banks.

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

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

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 85 - OregonFlora (2020) Oregon State University
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-04
Research By: TWC Staff

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