11 Best Perennial Delphinium Varieties to Grow This Year
Many gardeners fall in love with delphiniums’ tall stems and beautiful flowers. However, not everyone knows you can grow these flowers as perennials! Join flower farmer Briana Yablonski to learn some of the best perennial delphinium varieties to add to your garden.
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Since I spend my days surrounded by thousands of blossoms, people often ask me what my favorite flower is. This is never an easy question, and my answer changes with the seasons. However, in the early days of spring, the delphinium takes one of the top spots.
The plants stand out thanks to their impressively tall stalks covered with romantic flowers. Plus, they come in beautiful blue shades that are difficult to find in the flower world. And with so many different varieties to choose from, you can find a delphinium you’ll love.
If you live in a cooler area, these plants will return year after year. Plant a few perennial delphinium varieties, provide them with the proper care, and enjoy their beautiful flowers as early as the first year.
Are All Delphinium Varieties Perennials?
Yes, and no. The vast majority of delphinium available in garden centers, nurseries, and online retailers are perennials. However, they don’t grow well in intense, prolonged heat.
Most types of delphinium grow well as perennials in zone 3-7. They may be able to survive the summer in zone 8 with lots of water and some shade but don’t count on it. If you live in zone 8 and above, it’s easier to treat delphinium as annuals and replant them each spring.
The similar-looking larkspur grows as an annual no matter where you live. Therefore, look for delphinium if you want your plants to return each year.
‘Cliveden Beauty’
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botanical name Delphinium x belladonna ‘Cliveden Beauty’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 30-36” |
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hardiness zones 3-7 |
A hybrid variety created for its small stature, ‘Cliveden Beauty’ doesn’t require any staking. The plants have a more branching form than many other modern perennial delphinium varieties, so you can cut multiple stems for your home or enjoy the blooms in your garden.
‘Cliveden Beauty’ has light blue blossoms that sometimes display hints of lavender. They appear on long peduncles and are spaced throughout the stem, creating an elegant and whimsical appearance.
‘Pacific Giants Blend’
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botanical name Delphinium elatum ‘Pacific Giants Blend’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 3-6’ |
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hardiness zones 3-7 |
An heirloom mix of stunning, tall delphiniums, this blend lives up to its name. The flower stalks can grow up to six feet tall and provide a lovely backdrop for cottage gardens. Although the stalks have impressive height, they can grow well without staking in areas with little wind.
You can also stake them for impressively straight and tall floral stems. We grow this variety at the flower farm where I work, and the towering stems amaze us each growing season.
They’re densely covered with large blooms featuring an open form and layers of petals. This mix contains multiple colors of blooms that blend together to create a colorful yet natural palette—expect dark purples, whites, light blues, and lavenders.
‘Blue Donna’
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botanical name Delphinium x belladonna ‘Blue Donna’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 32-40” |
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hardiness zones 3-7 |
Another dwarf delphinium, ‘Blue Donna’ produces branching stems that remain around three feet tall. Planting a few of the perennials in a line creates a beautiful border, and mixing them with other cutting flowers adds beautiful pops of blue.
‘Blue Donna’ has large blooms that first open along the bottom of the stem. The blooms are a vibrant, deep blue that is difficult to find in the flower world. Sprinkling them into gardens filled with shades of pink, white, and yellow adds a unique look to your garden.
‘Magic Fountains Mix’
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botanical name Delphinium elatum ‘Magic Fountains Mix’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 3-4’ |
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hardiness zones 3-7 |
The ‘Magic Fountains Mix’ is a dwarf variety of Pacific delphinium, so the plants grow only a few feet tall. They rarely require staking, even in windy areas.
The individual flowers grow over an inch tall and are tightly packed together along the stems. From a distance, the stalks look like a solid mass of color, but closer inspection reveals the intricate cup-shaped flowers complete with layers of petals. They appear in white, lavender, deep blue, light blue, lilac, and other cool colors.
‘Guardian Lavender’
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botanical name Delphinium elatum ‘Guardian Lavender’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 30-40” |
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hardiness zones 4-7 |
The ‘Guardian’ series of delphinium was created with the goal of strong, early flowers. And it delivers. The plants begin flowering in the late spring or early summer and will produce strong side stems after you cut the main stem.
‘Guardian Lavender’ actually contains a mixture of light blue and light purple petals with white centers. The flowers seem to change color depending on the light and appear almost shimmering.
‘Guardian Blue’
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botanical name Delphinium elatum ‘Guardian Blue’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 30-40” |
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hardiness zones 4-7 |
Another member of the Guardian series, this perennial delphinium variety features deep bluish-purple blooms. The petals often contain multiple hues of blue and violet, creating a unique and interesting look. They’re tightly packed along the stem, so there is little space without flowers.
‘Guardian Blue’ blooms earlier than many other delphiniums, so it’s a good option if you want early blooms. The heirloom plants often produce a month earlier than open-pollinated varieties.
‘Highlander Blueberry Pie’
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botanical name Delphinium elatum ‘Highlander Blueberry Pie’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 30-40” |
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hardiness zones 3-7 |
The ‘Highlander’ series of delphinium features uniquely frilly flowers. While most of these perennials produce flowers with a single or double layer of petals, this series contains many layers of small petals with ruffled edges. Like with all delphiniums, the flowers appear along a tall flower spike.
‘Highlander Blueberry Pie’ features multi-colored floral spikes. The outer petals are deep blue, the middle petals are shades of purple, and the inner petals are lime green. When combined together, they create a fun and unique display.
Delphinia™ ‘Dark Blue White Bee’
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botanical name Delphinium elatum ‘Dark Blue White Bee’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 16-20” |
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hardiness zones 4-8 |
The Delphinia™ delphiniums are compact plants with a mounding growth habit. Since they’re so small, they grow well in containers and tight garden areas.
This hybrid delphinium features the dark hue present in many other varieties. However, it stands out from others thanks to white flower centers.
‘Butterfly Blend’
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botanical name Delphinium grandiflorum ‘Butterfly Blend’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 12-16” |
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hardiness zones 3-7 |
A variety of the species commonly known as Chinese delphinium or Siberian larkspur, ‘Butterfly Blend’ is a mix of truly dwarf perennial delphinium varieties. The plants grow just over a foot tall, so they’re a great option for when you want to enjoy the beauty of delphinium flowers but don’t want the height. They’re also a good choice for containers.
This blend contains a mix of colors, including rose pink, dark blue, and light blue. The flowers have free space between them on their stems, giving the plants an airy and elegant look.
‘Aurora Lavender’
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botanical name Delphinium x belladonna ‘Cliveden Beauty’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 3-5’ |
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hardiness zones 3-7 |
Aurora lavender is an early-blooming variety with light purple flowers. The stems are loaded with tightly packed blooms with overlapping petals. Each lavender flower features a center.
If planted early in the fall or early spring, the plants will flower in the late spring or early summer. Cutting stalks with open flowers will encourage the plants to produce more blooms.
‘Moonbeam’
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botanical name Delphinium elatum ‘Moonbeam’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 4-6’ |
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hardiness zones 3-8 |
If you are looking for an elegant white perennial delphinium variety, ‘Moonbeam’ is a good option. The tall flower stalks are covered with large, pure white blossoms that overlap each other. The result is a tall white spire that serves as a great backdrop or visual break in gardens.
‘Moonbeam’ plants grow tall, so consider planting them in a location that’s sheltered from the wind. You can also stake the tall stalks to keep them straight and upright.
