Delphinium Laser Beam™

Delphinium Laser Beam™: Dark Spires With a Stiff Backbone

'Laser Beam' fires dark blue-purple florets straight up on stems so sturdy they could hold their own in a hockey scrum. Reblooming, unbending and very focused. TARGET ACQUIRED.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Delphinium hybrid 'Holtlabea812'
• Common Name: Larkspur, Delphinium
• Series: Bloomin' Easy®
• Height: 60–75 cm (24–30 in)
• Spread: 35–40 cm (14–16 in)
• Flowers: Dark blue-purple florets, 5–8 cm (2–3 in) across, on strong upright spikes
• Bloom Time: Early summer, with rebloom into early fall (June to September)
• Foliage: Green, deeply cut leaves forming an upright clump
• Features: Sturdy stems, reblooming, good for cutting
• Plant Patent: USPP 36,982

Where to Plant: Its compact height makes it easy to fit into the middle of a sunny border, a cottage garden or even a large container. The sturdy stems are good for cutting, so it earns a spot in a cutting bed too.

Companion Plants: Edge the bed with Oenothera macrocarpa, a low spreader whose large yellow flowers in June and July glow against blue spikes. Agastache 'Pinky Pie' fills the middle with pink flowers from July to September, keeping bees busy as the larkspur reblooms. Behind it all, Eryngium yuccifolium adds white, globe-shaped heads at 90 to 150 cm and a bold, spiky texture. Give the group full sun and you get a long, layered summer display.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in rich, well-drained soil that stays evenly moist. Water deeply in dry weather and avoid heavy, soggy ground. Feed in spring with compost or a balanced fertilizer. A spot sheltered from strong wind is still a good idea. When the first flush of flowers fades, cut the spent spikes back to the base. That encourages a second round of blooms later in the season. Cut the plant to the ground after a hard frost. Give it good air flow to reduce powdery mildew. Divide crowded clumps in spring every few years.

History: Garden delphiniums descend mainly from Delphinium elatum, a species native to the mountains of Europe and Asia, and the name comes from the Greek for dolphin, after the shape of the flower buds. Laser Beam™ is a recent patented introduction in the Bloomin' Easy® line, selected for sturdy stems and a compact habit.

Final Thoughts: Deer resistant, a bumblebee and hummingbird magnet and fantastic in a vase. Aim it at a sunny border and LIGHT UP THE NEIGHBOURHOOD.