Flowers: bicolor delphinium question

Replies: 33 Views: 321

Author	Comment
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN July 6, 2009 10:51 PM	I planted this delphiunium last year and this is the first yeat it bloomed. It is a different color than the other five I bought with it and I am wondering if this is a hybrid of some sort, or if it is maybe deficient in some nutrient to make it do this. It is beautiful to me, but I am curious because its brothers are not like this at all. View Larger
JasperDale Long Beach, CA (Zone 10a) July 7, 2009 02:55 AM	It may be a variety that came about through cross pollinization. Did it have a tag on it saying it was a particular variety ? Tags on plants often get mixed up at nurseries as people go through the plants...unless you started these from seed... Very nice color, though !
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN July 7, 2009 10:07 AM	Thanks for the answer! All of them were small seedlings marked "black night" and you can see one of his brothers in the lower part of the picture. They are all a rich purple. I looked up "bicolor" delphineums, but those are the smaller-flowered wild ones. I can't find any picture of this one online. The curious thing is he was in the same pot as the other one you can see there-- it made two spires (for want of the proper term) and one is the solid purple. That's why I thought it was a soil issue maybe. The first year the plant made only one spire that did not bloom (I put them in late.) Any ideas what variety he is? Can a plant make two spires with different color flowers? I am attaching a close-up of the single blossom, because you can see the "striping" better. View Larger
pirl Southold, NY (Zone 7a) July 7, 2009 10:28 AM	Look at Clear Spring at Graceful Gardens: http://www.gracefulgardens.com/delphin.htm
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN July 8, 2009 04:50 AM	Thank you! Yes-- it appears to be a bellamosum. Cool beans! It must have been in the wrong pot or else a root was there.
pirl Southold, NY (Zone 7a) July 9, 2009 11:42 AM	How did you get it identified?
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN July 9, 2009 01:22 PM	If you put the cursor over the photo of these at the web sit you found, that is the name that comes up in a little box.
pirl Southold, NY (Zone 7a) July 9, 2009 01:47 PM	Yes, I'm aware of that but I was curious as to the name of the site. Was it Graceful Gardens or did you find it elsewhere?
iluvcatz Westerly, RI July 9, 2009 07:59 PM	amazing colors
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN July 9, 2009 08:41 PM	Pirl-- yes, I found them on the graceful gardens site you linked to. They were on of the first pictures on the right side. Thanks for helping. I appreciate it a lot because I will try to get more of this variety. Now I know what kind to look for. They are still going strong and they are so beautiful!
pirl Southold, NY (Zone 7a) July 9, 2009 09:15 PM	Great. I would also HIGHLY recommend Graceful Gardens. All plants I bought from them and shared with a friend, were delivered (as promised) in April, a few years ago, and they all bloomed that summer. Who could ask for more? You'd pay more for annuals that don't give that delphinium look to a garden! I believe they averaged out at $1.91 per plant.
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN July 9, 2009 10:16 PM	Thanks pirl! I will definitely give them a try next season. I appreciate the recommendation because I have had bad luck with some mail order companies in the past.
pirl Southold, NY (Zone 7a) July 9, 2009 10:38 PM	Good. They're really fantastic.
egirl4rmvegas El Cajon, CA August 5, 2009 05:04 PM	WOW... I cant get over how incredibly beautiful the colors are on this flower =]
gringo Hampton, VA August 10, 2009 09:33 PM	Hi rubia. I have a Delphinium, with much the same colors. Though mine is/was supposed to be ' Pagan Purples'. I think yours has a few less, petals though. Look up a hybridizer in New Zealand, named Dowdeswell's, which has a website showing theit varieties. They used the 'Pacific Giant' series, to create the 'New Millenium' hybrids, with multi-petals & bicolors. Maybe yours was from a seeds produced as a result from crossing with one of these newer Delphiniums & a 'Black Night'?
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN August 10, 2009 10:39 PM	I like your theory because it seems so odd that it was labelled black knight-- it kind of makes sense that it was an unexpected hybrid or cross of some sort (otherwise they wold have charged more!) I will be very curious to see if the colors come back like that next summer or on a second bloom. And I will check out Dowdeswell's website. Thanks! I think pirl (above) was right-- the clear spring from graceful gardens is the closest I have seen yet. I think I just got lucky!
gringo Hampton, VA August 11, 2009 03:40 AM	Hi rubia. Here's a photo (turned out somewhat dark) of one of my recently flowering Delphinium plants I had mail ordered from Roots and Rhizomes, this spring. Looks like many of their stock similar to these, are already selling out for fall, online.... I like it so much, I purchased a pkt. of 100 'New Millenium Hybrid' seeds, (origin; New Zealand), through Hazzard's Wholesale, instead of directly from Dowdswell's. I started to germinate them on a moist coffee filter, within a baggy, placed in the fridge (cold stratify) - waiting for the summer temps to drop a bit, before actually sowing them... I think the thumbnail photo should be 'clickable', for full size. View Larger
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN August 11, 2009 08:38 AM	Oh those are beautiful! I am still learning, but they look like double or triple flowers to me! Wow! Amazing flowers! The cold stratify method is genius-- I know in VA you have some mighty warm summers. I spent many happy years in the South and I miss the plants (NC, GA, TX-- took a long, slow tour before coming home again.) Unfortunately, here in MN we have no need for such measures-- it has been getting into the 40s at night (already!) We have had a very cool summer. Thank you for the tips! I just dug a big new bed up yesterday (prepping starts tomorrow), so I will be needing some more plants soon! I only started with delphiniums last summer with no blooms until this year and I have fallen in love. Of course the lucky bicolored plant helped :-) I will try to get my paws on some more.
gringo Hampton, VA August 11, 2009 05:21 PM	Geez- the 40's at night already? I'll probably have to wait until about October, for that! This years last freeze, was way back in mid-February. So spring was off to an early start, in a way, although that last freeze was 18 degrees & so it took forever for the soil to ever warm up again, for growth. Now it's so darn hot, not much would survive being sown now, if it would even germinate.
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN August 11, 2009 06:07 PM	I have an uncle who lives in Richmond and I remember the heat and the humidity. You had to almost swim through the air and it was hard to breathe. Here we are extreme the other way-- those delipiniums survived a -40 winter this year (a couple weeks of that!) and you can't even dig the earth until May (if you're lucky.) We are always behind everybody else plant-wise. But we are ahead of everybody else on the first freeze (usually mid to late Sept.) Some of my plants are confused and think it is fall already-- ths year has been strange. I looked at the New Zealand seed site! That are fantastic! And I spent a lot of time looking at all the pictures. They have many double flowers and brilliant blues and purples. I love the ones called "pagan purple." Gorgeous. I have another kind of delphinium that is more bushy (as opposed to a spire) that also had the two-blue color. However, on this one, the lighter blue almost forms a spot. View Larger
growgirl59 Saint Louis, MO August 17, 2009 01:10 PM	Rubia16, I believe the one above is Butterfly Delphinium. This message was edited Aug 17, 2009 8:12 AM
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN August 17, 2009 01:37 PM	Hey thanks! I did wonder. I got two of them for a 1.99$ at home depot on sale (no tag)-- they had forgotten to water them and I had to resuscitate them. And when they finally got water again, they bloomed! I feel lucky with these flowers. Delpiniums are just amazing!
2gonefishing Milwaukee, WI August 18, 2009 10:16 PM	IHi Everyone--ready to log out when I saw Delphiniums! My Passion of all the garden beauties. Appears the black knights have King Arthur among them--will check my records later--but the picture with the black bee in center would be King Arthur! Simply Beautiful! Did you know others are part of this family as well beyond, Black Knight and King Arthur! Care to guess? Got to go now! Bye! God Bless and Happy Gardening! God's Garden Wildlife Habitat Garden; 2 gone fishing--P.S. check answers to many--took a little time today to hopefully help other garden lovers. some answers, some open you to the possibility of gardening and beyond! under berries, wildlife, flowers, bees, etc..
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN August 20, 2009 12:57 PM	I looked up the king arthur, but from the pictures on the plant files here, I don't think that is it. Some of them have white petals around the bee and all of them were a solid purple color. I did find one called a magic fountain, but the distribution of the two colors was different. I found a lot of Arthurian names-- apparently delpinium fanciers must have also been fans of French medieval literature at some point! There is a round table, a white king, a Galahad, a percival, a dusky maiden, a regal knight and lots of "magic fountain/ enchanted mirror" type names. Maybe these are european (English?) varieties?
gringo Hampton, VA August 20, 2009 05:24 PM	Hi rubia. Yesterday I received a catalog from Breck's, with a coupon for a free order, worth up to $25.00 So I ordered 'Blushing Brides', as part of the offer. There is also a 'Dusky Maidens' available, at least from Bluestone Perennials and Roots & Rhizomes anyways also, which is from the 'New Millennium' series. I was under the impression, that these d. elatum x hybrids from Dowdeswell, in N.Z. have their beginnings from re-selection of Pacific Giants' & 'Knights of the Roundtable' & then years of hybridization to obtain the present results. Although I don't know what the 'New Zealand Doubles' (i.e. 'Misty Mauves, 'Double Innocence' etc...) have as the base for their origins, they're definitely part of 'N.Z. ('New Millenium') Hybrids' also. Meanwhile, there are other double types from the 'Highlander Series' ( 'Crystal Delight', 'Morning Glory' & 'Sweet Sensation' to name a few) but they're introduced by Pride of Place Plants, according to the roots & Rhizomes catalog... Jung's offers some of the N.Z. Hybrids plants too, although for seeds, the best value I found was from Hazzard's Wholesale Greenhouse. As for Connecticut Yakees & Magic Fountains, they're both from selecting & breeding to obtain a shortened versions of Pacific Giants. There are some others, which are based on Chinese (grandiflora?) & bellamosum types, plus a red flowering (nudicaule?) sort... Shawn
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN August 20, 2009 08:39 PM	Thanks for the information. I am getting a crash course in delpinium history! Seriously, though, I am going to start growing them in earnest and not so much by accident so I do appreciate the where-to-buy tips and the information. This is really very interesting to me and that beautiufl bicolored wonderous spike hooked me! I really hope you have better luck with Breck's than I did. I had ordered tulip bulbs from them with poor results. They are part of the "spring hill" and "michigan bulb" conglomerate, which doesn't get the highest ratings on the watchdog. But free is free! You will have to let me know how your seeds and your Breck's plants worked out. :-) Lisa
gringo Hampton, VA August 21, 2009 06:41 PM	Hi Lisa. What I've found, is that when ordering online from any of the mail order nurseries that are associated with the huge conglomerate, Scarlet Tanager, ordering early is best. I imagine due to the way shipping occurs with those up North, usually being shipped their plants last, in late spring, which is probably about June- the plants definitely aren't fresh anymore! It works a little to my disadvantage, in autumn though, because shipping to Southern zones, is done after the lower number zones are taken care of , first. But according to the scheduled shipping times, it isn't delayed but at most by only a couple of weeks, since I'm listed in zone 7. (Though more likely in reality, I'm actually in zone 8) If one were to order late in the season, everyone else that ordered ahead in a timely manner, gets theirs shipped before the others get theirs. Which means if its a bareroot perennial thats been waiting for a month in a plastic baggy & just a bit of peat moss, you may well end up getting a rotten plant! Though I think this particular Delphinium from Brecks is supposed to be shipped in a three inch pot. BTW Roots & Rhizomes ships their Delphs in 4 inch pots. As for Jungs, I hadn't ordered Delps. from them, (or noticed if potted, the size sent) , but these two Co.'s are associated with each other. Not sure what Van Bourgondien offers this fall, regarding Millennium Delphs., but since they left New York & started up in VA. I have to pay State tax & their shipping is a bit high, for basically only sending across the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel! I know from another 'garden web' site, that people used to order their seeds directly from N.Z. But I just happened to find them at Hazzard's Wholesale. I was sorta fed up with the very low seed count & rather high prices of seeds from T & M. for the Dowdeswell Delphinium seed they have on offer. Shawn
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN August 21, 2009 07:21 PM	It makes a lot of sense to me about the shipping. I am listed as zone 4 but I am really a 3B for most things and that also caused a problem because I didn't know and ordered some plants that were really not right for this zone. Live and learn, I guess. I only wish it wasn't such a pricey mistake. Mail order is really hit and miss, so it is nice when somebody can tell you if the company is good to deal with or not. So far, I have had really good experiences with American meadows and tulip world in Wisconsin. Today I am going to check out some of the places youmentioned for delph and try to get some more knids as plants. I have a feeling seeds are still alittle advanced for me :-) But I will get there!
pirl Southold, NY (Zone 7a) August 21, 2009 07:36 PM	We've used a few places for seeds (T & M, Park's) but they aren't easy and my husband has more than 30 years experience growing plants from seeds. Magic Fountain seemed to be the easiest. When I need them I go online to Graceful Gardens: good plants, great shipping, good prices and reasonable shipping fees. Royal Aspiration is my forever favorite. View Larger
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN August 21, 2009 07:44 PM	Oh! Graceful gardens is sold out for the saeson, but I just put in an order with roots and rhizomes for 4 new kinds of delphimiums and 3 daylilies I have never seen before (which I also like). I am getting the pagan purple! Yeah! And the royal aspiration too. I can't wait! I even have a place for them picked out already. Cool beans.
pirl Southold, NY (Zone 7a) August 21, 2009 07:51 PM	I believe I ordered in February and got them in April. A friend and I shared two flats.
2gonefishing Milwaukee, WI August 21, 2009 09:55 PM	Oops falling short of time! Remember if you love these flowers as much as I do--make certain to add the Beladonna. Yes it is called Beladonna a 6- 7 foot beauty. Many farmers will know this one. If you are a beginner or advanced gardener. This one last the years--we had on the average 7 years before we needed to reseed or divide--always spectacular> the Size! Happy Gardening, "Gods Garden" Wildlife Habitat 2gonefishing; remember to look us up here on the forum-many questions we hope to have answered--35 plus garden celebration--all the stories are true--enjoy the tips--tried and true!
alday Center, TX August 26, 2009 06:32 PM	Hi all, I'm new to delphiniums but they are beautiful. Last year I purchased one in gallon pot. It was in bloom then Dark Blue. This year it came up and seemed fine. But when it bloomed, the flowers were light yellow, like ornamental cabbage. What is this, is it a form of cabbage? and when can I move it to another spot? I looks like it has multiplied. HELP!!!!!! alday
rubia16 Saint Cloud, MN August 26, 2009 07:47 PM	Alday, do you have a photo of the plant?

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