Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

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Cle las Cle lig Del car Delphinium parryi Del pat Ran cal Ran heb Tha fen Tha fen Tha fen Tha pol  <

Blue Larkspur
Delphinium parryi

Family: Ranunculaceae (BUTTERCUP).
Other common names: San Bernardino larkspur, Blochman's larkspur, seaside larkspur.
Generic common name: LARKSPUR.

Circle X Ranch: Mishe Mokwa Trail, chaparral, May 2005.

Characteristics: Native, Blue, Large, Clusters, Odd, Herbaceous, Perennial, Late Spring.

Several different common names have been applied to a range of subspecies growing locally. 		Thumbnail Picture of Delphinium parryi


Delphinium parryi  is a variable species and a number of different subspecies can be found in the Santa Monica Mountains. Precise identification of a  Delphinium parryi  specimen to the subspecies level is not always easy and hence we have chosen to provide photos without the specific subspecies identification (especially since identification in this group may require a dissection which destroys the specimen -- never a good idea and in this case even more problematic since some of these are considered rare.) In addition to the very common Delphinium parryi ssp. parryi it is possible that a couple of the other subspecies known to occur in the area are represented here. Some possible candidates include:

   Delphinium parryi ssp. maritimum    (seaside larkspur).
   Delphinium parryi ssp. blochmaniae    (Blochman's larkspur).

Note: Delphinium patens, which is also frequently referred to as Blue Larkspur, blooms earlier in the year and is otherwise fairly easy to distinguish from  D. parryi  based on different leaf shape. (see the page at Delphinium patens  for comparison.)


























Unusual white color form




Detailed description from UCLA website (in PDF format)



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