Delphinium 'Cherry Blossom/White Bee'

Delphinium 'Cherry Blossom/White Bee': Pink Spires Wearing a White Bee

Rosy mauve-pink florets, each with a little white bee in the middle, so the real bumblebees keep showing up thinking they've been double-booked. This delphinium rarely needs staking. MISTAKEN IDENTITY, EXCELLENT RESULTS.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Delphinium elatum hybrid
• Common Name: Larkspur, Delphinium
• Series: Magic Fountains
• Height: 70–90 cm (27–35 in)
• Spread: 25–35 cm (10–14 in)
• Flowers: Rosy, mauve-pink florets with a white bee in the centre, packed onto upright spikes
• Bloom Time: Early to midsummer (June to July), with a possible smaller rebloom in fall if cut back
• Foliage: Deep green, deeply cut leaves forming a bushy base
• Features: Good for cutting, rarely needs staking

Where to Plant: Use it in the middle of a sunny border, in a cottage garden or in a cutting bed for summer bouquets. Its upright spikes add height and structure to a planting. All parts are toxic, so site it away from curious pets and children.

Companion Plants: Give these pink spires a sunny bed with rich, moist soil and plants that cover the gap after they bloom. Heuchera FYRE WING™ 'Jadeite' edges the front at 15 to 25 cm with bright foliage and white bells in May and June. Epilobium angustifolium adds rosy magenta fireweed at 120 to 150 cm from June to August. Aster 'Pink Crush' brings rose-pink asters at 51 to 61 cm in September and October. Liriope 'Big Blue' adds grass-like leaves and violet spikes at 30 to 45 cm in August and September.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in rich, well-drained soil that stays evenly moist. Delphiniums dislike both drought and soggy roots, so water deeply in dry weather and avoid low spots. A spring feeding with compost or a balanced fertilizer helps. Good air flow reduces powdery mildew. After the first flush of flowers, cut the spent spikes back to the base of the plant. New shoots often bring a smaller second show in late summer or fall. Cut the plant down to the ground after hard frost. Delphiniums are often short-lived perennials, especially in hot, humid summers. Cool nights, like ours, suit them well. Divide crowded clumps in spring every few years.

History: The garden delphinium descends mainly from Delphinium elatum, a species of European and Asian mountain meadows, and its name comes from the Greek for dolphin, after the shape of the flower bud. The Magic Fountains series is a seed-grown strain from the German seed house Benary, bred to be shorter and sturdier than the old giant types.

Final Thoughts: Deer resistant, hummingbird approved and made for cutting. Plant a row and fill every vase in the house. PINK SPIRES, NO STAKES.