PPP Offering for Fall 2004 A Rare California Delphinium

摘要

Delphiniums may be among the most traditional of perennial garden plants in the midwestern and eastern United States, but on the West Coast, hybrid delphiniums probably don't make it onto the list of top ten perennials. Although popular in the PacificNorthwest, their preference for rich soils, regular watering, and staking render delphiniums too fussy for most gardeners to bother with. Instead, delphinium devotees purchase long-stemmed bunches for flower arranging and leave the cultivation to professional growers. For West Coast gardeners, however, a world of California native delphiniums awaits discovery. According to The Jepson Manual, twenty-eight species and forty-five taxa are found within the state, yet surprisingly few are grown commerciallydespite their exceptional beauty and ease of propagation. Indeed, several species rival the stately spires of blue, purple, pink, and white that typify the hybrids. California's two red orange species, Delphinium cardinale and D. nudicaule, are the most likely to appear at botanic garden plant sales or specialty nurseries, probably due to their unusual color. These vivid natives have been used in breeding programs as well.