THE LIMPID SUMMER SKY…

THE LIMPID SUMMER SKY…

The name “delphinium” comes from the Greek word for “dolphin”, referring to the shape of the buds. The Spanish words for delphinium is “espuela de caballero”, meaning “knight’s spur”, from the small spur at the back of the flower. Delphinium is related to larkspur and also to one of the deadliest flowers, monkshood. But where did delphinium come from?

The answer is: everywhere! They are native to the Northern Hemisphere, where they thrive in the cool, temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia, including mountainous areas, woodlands, prairies, and Mediterranean climates. Some species extend into the high mountains of tropical Africa.

Ancient Egyptians and Ancient Greeks used them for headaches and respiratory issues. The Egyptians also decorated mummies with them and used a poultice of mashed roots for scorpion stings. Delphinium was historically used for ailments such as headaches and asthma. When delphinium made its way to Europe around the 1500’s, it became a popular flower in cottage gardens due to its striking height and vibrant colors of deep blue, bright purple, and soft lavender. Once the flower made its way to America in the 1600’s with early European settlers, a new usage of delphinium was introduced to these settlers by Native Americans, who taught them how to create blue ink and dye with the flowers.

The 19th-century French hybridizer Victor Lemoine developed the tall, colorful varieties we see today, such as the Pacific Giants series. Other varieties are popular with florists as well, like “Volkenfried”, a deep blue delphinium with smaller flowers and stems.