Delphinium Retropilosum

Delphinium retropilosum is a hardy perennial larkspur from western and central Siberia, where it grows in open temperate mountain country. Upright stems carry divided green leaves and racemes of blue to violet flowers with the characteristic backward-pointing spur of the genus. The compact, natural form is less formal than a modern border hybrid and blends easily into meadow, prairie and gravel planting. Adapted to severe winters, it appreciates full sun and free-draining soil but performs best where the roots remain cool during summer. It is an unusual species for collectors of hardy delphiniums.