Violets Are Blue Delphinium - 72-Cell Plug Tray

Violets Are Blue is a midsize delphinium with flowers that blend deep violet, purple and blue around a crisp white center. At 2.5 to 3 feet tall, it adds height to the middle of a border without towering over it.

The strong stems carry the flowers well, and plants are very uniform. It blooms in early summer, and cutting back spent spikes brings more flowers in late summer and fall.

What it looks like

An upright clump of basal foliage about 18 to 24 inches wide with tall, stout flower stems rising 2.5 to 3 feet tall. Leaves are large, deeply lobed and cut into pointed segments, medium green, 4 to 8 inches across, forming a leafy base. The spikes are densely packed with florets about 2 inches across in a blend of deep violet, purple and blue, each with a crisp white central tuft. At peak bloom the plant is a column of densely packed flowers standing well above the foliage.

Growing it with lavender

Delphinium wants richer, more evenly moist soil than lavender, so grow it in a nearby border where its violet-blue spires can rise behind lavender without sharing the same lean, dry bed.

Care

Plant in full sun to light part shade in rich, well-drained soil and water regularly; delphiniums prefer cool summers and dislike soggy winter soil. Hardy in zones 3-7. Staking is a good idea in windy spots. Cut spent spikes back to the leaves after the first bloom to encourage a second round of flowers in late summer and fall.

At a glance

• Botanical name: Delphinium elatum
• Flower color: Blend of deep violet, purple and blue with a white center
• Foliage: Medium green
• Growth habit: Tall, upright clump
• Mature size: 30–36 in tall × 18–24 in wide
• USDA hardiness zones: 3–7
• Light: full sun, part sun to part shade
• Bloom start: Mid-June
• Peak bloom: Late-June
• Bloom pattern: Repeat Blooming
• Deer resistance: Resistant
• Pollinator value: Great

Sizes and shipping

One full 72-cell plug tray: 72 young starter plugs of this variety (cells about 1⅓ in. wide × 2½ in. deep), rooted and ready to pot up into quarts or gallons. Best for growers and nurseries. Potted plants and plug trays ship during our live-plant seasons, March 1–May 31 and October 1–November 30; June through September is local pickup only. Plugs, potted plants and trays do not ship to AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, UT or WA.