wetland wildflower
Sierra larkspur
Delphinium glaucum
Also known as Tower Larkspur
1 of 2Native to the Pacific Coast, the Rockies, and the Southwest and southern Canada
Mountains from Alaska to Madera county, California, east to the Rockies
- Light Partial shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Moist to wet Moisture preference
- Zones 1–9 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Jul–Sep Flowering time
- Height up to 9 ft to 2.7 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A wetland wildflower for partial shade and consistently moist to wet soil. At up to 9 ft, it needs room in rain gardens, pond edges, and damp low spots. Hardy in USDA zones 1–9.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Black-tailed Bumble Bee
also Bombus fervidus, Fuzzy-Horned Bumble Bee, Two-form Bumble Bee +7 more
Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee, Nevada Bumble Bee, Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, Great Basin Bumble Bee, Indiscriminate Cuckoo Bumble Bee, White-shouldered Bumble Bee, Morrison's Bumble Bee - Butterflies Western Tiger Swallowtail also Mottled Duskywing
- Wasps Dolichovespula adulterina arctica
- Also visited by
- Moths: White-lined Sphinx
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WetlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- The Pacific Coast, the Rockies, and the Southwest and southern CanadaUnited States (11): AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY. Canada (1): AB. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Mountains from Alaska to Madera county, California, east to the RockiesThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Partial shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- Moist to wetThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 1–9 · Canadian 0–8The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Wet or moist soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- 5.6–7.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- HighHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- HighHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 9 ft (to 2.7 m)Typical mature height.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- RapidA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 6+ in (15+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Jul–SepWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- Blue, PurpleThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- SeedHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.0 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- RapidHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- HighHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.