Delphinium elatum "Magic Fountains" Sky-Blue White Bee

This listing refers to the sale of seeds. Each packet contains 100 seeds.

Delphiniums are the stars of the early summer border! Striking, true-blue blooms with white centers (bees), Delphinium elatum Magic Fountain Sky-Blue White Bee is a perennial larkspur that has been bred to be more resistant to bad weather and heat. Very ornamental in perennial beds, this stocky variety generally requires no staking. Delphiniums thrive in sunny, rich, deep, permeable soil, and are equally at home in window boxes or pots. Dwarf and sturdy.

Delphinium 'Sky Blue-White Bee' is one of the many hybrids ((x) cultorum) obtained by crossing D. elatum, which gave rise to the famous "Pacific Giant" series, among others. The plant grows from a woody rhizome that sinks vertically into the ground. The flowers hold up well and are particularly appreciated in bouquets.

• Height at maturity: 90-100 cm
• Spread at maturity: 38 - 46 cm
• Light needs: Full sun to part shade; at least six hours of sun per day
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 3-9; until -40.0°C
• Type of soil: Rich, fertile, well-draining; keep moist but not soaked
• Soil pH: 5.5-6.5
• Where to plant: Borders, beds, containers, windowboxes
• Features: Attracts Hummingbirds, Heat Tolerant variety, excellent cut flower, blooms in its first year
• Pruning: Deadhead by cutting spent flower spikes back to small flowering side shoots. This will encourage further blooms. Cut down all growth to ground level once it has withered in autumn.
•  Flowering period: Spring to Summer
• Best time to sow seeds: Spring or fall
• Common names: Candle Larkspur
• Plant type: Short-lived perennial
• Difficulty: Easy; low maintenance

Use a quality, loose potting soil, firming it down into flats or pots with a wooden block and then moisten before sowing the seeds.

Sow your Delphinium elatum seeds 10-16 weeks before planting out. Cover seeds lightly with vermiculite or by sifting soil over them.

Transplant into larger cell packs or 3-4" containers 6-8 weeks after germination.

Grow seedlings at 50-55°F (18-21°C) in the greenhouse or cold frames. Harden off and transplant outside after the last frost. Overhead irrigation is not advised.

If growing in the greenhouse, transplant plugs into raised bed in August through September. Provide a horizontal trellis 12-18" above the beds.

Keep temperatures below 60°F (16°C), in a heated structure. Feed with a balanced fertilizer. Direct seeding is not recommended.

Keep moist and shaded (12-18 days at 21-24 °C) in media with low soluble salt levels until seeds germinate, then remove shading.

August sown seed produces seedlings that can be wintered over in a cold frame and given a permanent place in the garden the following spring.

Plant delphinium seeds in early August for bloom next midsummer. Seeds germinate best when fresh.