Red Delphiniums—

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29383, 9 December 1960, Page 13

Red Delphiniums—

What’s this you say, red delphiniums! Yes, quite true, although they are a little different from the more familiar blue spires which ornament our gardens from December onwards. The commonest red delphinium is a Californian native called Delphinium nudicaule, and its flowers really are bright red. and do look like a delphinium. However, this is where this little fraud must come to an end, for the spikes are only about nine to 12 inches long, and the whole plant only 15 to 20 inches tall. It’s an excellent little plant for the rock garden or the small border, and has a very long flowering season, Six weeks to two months in length.

Delphinium nudicaule is easily raised from seed, like the taller varieties, although you may find it difficult to purchase within New Zealand. There is a point of difference between this sort and the commoner types, though, and that is that nudicaule forms a little tuberous root. It dies back to this tuber in the winter, and then produces both roots and shoots afresh each year. Seed is best sown in the spring, and you will then have flowers in the same sumfner, although not as many in quantity as in ensuing years, of course.

The pink flowered delphinium called “Pink Sensation,” which grows about three feet high, is a

hybrid from nudicaule, although the other parent is not known. Ithe right soils and conditions it is a very satisfactory plant, but it has a tendency to be temperamental. This is the reason it is not as common in the trade as could be wished, for stocks are not quick to work up. If you are after something unusual in the delphinium line, though, these two plants are worth remembering.