Larkspur King Size Scarlet

Yes, the entire larkspur plant is poisonous, including the stems, leaves, flowers, and especially the seeds. It contains toxic diterpene alkaloids (similar to monkshood).

For Larkspur, we definitely recommend direct sowing into the garden bed. The plant forms a long taproot and tolerates transplanting very poorly. You have two sowing options:

• Autumn sowing (September–October): You sow the seeds before winter; the young plants sprout, overwinter, and bloom very early in the spring with the strongest stalks.
• Early spring sowing (February–March): Sow as soon as the soil thaws. These plants will bloom in early summer.

Practical tip: Combine autumn and spring sowing, or sow two batches in the spring, 14 days apart. This will significantly extend your harvest period!

Larkspurs are cool-season lovers and have specific germination requirements that must be followed:

• Low temperature: The ideal soil temperature for germination is around 13 °C (at temperatures above 15–18 °C, the seeds go into dormancy and will not germinate).
• Darkness: The seeds need darkness to germinate, so sow them approximately 0.5 cm deep and cover lightly with soil.
• Cold period: If sowing in the spring, place the seeds in the refrigerator for 1–2 weeks before sowing (a process called stratification) to simulate winter cold and promote even germination.

Germination itself usually takes 14 to 21 days.

Harvest timing is crucial for Larkspur, especially during warm springs when they bloom literally before your eyes:

• Harvesting fresh flowers for a vase: Cut the stems when the bottom third of the flowers on the spike are open (approx. 3–4 bottom flowers). The remaining buds will gradually open in the vase, and the flower will stay fresh much longer.
• Harvesting for drying: If you want to dry Larkspur, wait until almost all the flowers on the stem are open, but the bottom petals have not yet begun to fall off.

After cutting the main stem, the plant will quickly bloom again on 4–5 side shoots.

Larkspur 'King Size Scarlet' is one of the best flowers for drying because it manages to retain its beautiful pink-scarlet shade after being dried.

After harvesting, remove the lower leaves from the stalks, tie them into small bunches (5–10 pieces each, to allow air to circulate between them), and hang them "upside down" in a dry, dark (shaded), and well-ventilated place. Direct sunlight during the drying process would cause the color to fade. Within 2 to 3 weeks, the flowers will be perfectly dry and ready for arrangements.

For abundant blooming and sturdy stems, choose a fully sunny location for your Larkspur (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day). It will grow in partial shade as well, but there will be fewer stems and they will be leggier.

The soil must primarily be well-draining, sandy-loam, and rich in organic matter, with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Heavy, clay, and permanently waterlogged soils do not suit it – the roots rot easily in them. The location should be sheltered from strong winds.

Although Larkspurs are relatively hardy, you may encounter a few problems:

• Slugs and snails: They are the biggest enemy of freshly emerged seedlings in early spring. Protect young plants with eco-friendly pellets or barriers.
• Powdery mildew: Manifests as a white, powdery coating on the leaves, especially at the end of the season when it gets warm and dry. Good spacing and watering directly at the roots help.
• Root and stem rot: Caused by poorly draining, waterlogged soil.
• Aphids: They can attack young tops and buds, but you can easily wash them off with a stream of water or a spray based on oil or soap.

The most common cause of failure in germinating Larkspur is soil that is too warm. If you sow late in the spring when the sun has already warmed the soil above 15–18 °C, the seeds will block (enter a state of thermal dormancy) and fail to germinate.

Other reasons may include:

• Sowing on the soil surface: Larkspur seeds germinate in the dark; if they are not covered with approx. 0.5 cm of soil, they germinate very poorly.
• Absence of a cold period: Pre-chilling seeds in the refrigerator is very helpful for spring sowing.
• Drying out of the seedbed during germination or, conversely, the seeds rotting in heavy, waterlogged soil.

Yes, Larkspur propagates very readily in the garden via self-seeding. If you leave a few stalks on the bed to finish blooming and form seed pods (follicles), the seeds will drop into the soil at the end of summer, overwinter, and grow on their own in the spring.

You can also harvest the seeds yourself – as soon as the capsules on the plant turn brown, dry out, and begin to open at the top, snip them off and shake out the tiny black seeds. Store them in a paper packet in a cool, dry place until you are ready to sow.

The Larkspur 'King Size Scarlet' (Delphinium consolida, often also referred to as Consolida ajacis) is a charming hardy annual. It excels with its tall, sturdy stems that grow to a height of 90 to 120 cm and are covered in semi-double flowers in a warm, deep pink shade.

It has delicate, fern-like divided leaves, and from one plant, you will get one main strong flower spike and 4 to 5 smaller side stems. It is an absolute winner for spring and early summer bouquets as well as for drying.

Gardeners often confuse them because both are commonly referred to by the Latin name Delphinium. Larkspur 'King Size Scarlet' (Delphinium consolida / Consolida ajacis) is an annual plant – it has finer, thread-like leaves, airier inflorescences, is easier to grow from seeds, and dies after flowering and setting seed.

In contrast, the perennial Larkspur (often called Delphinium, e.g., Delphinium elatum) is a robust perennial with palmate leaves and massive, dense spikes that grows in one spot for many years, but it is more demanding to cultivate.