Delphinium depauperatum
Dwarf, blue mountain, or mountain larkspur, Or Mountain Larkspur
(c) Tom Hilton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Delphinium depauperatum (Dwarf) is a native California herb in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by winged seeds and high-elevation meadow habitat.
Dwarf delphinium is a California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada, Warner Mountains, and central Sierra Nevada Mountains in moist meadows at elevations of 1,800 to 2,600 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces blue to purple flowers with a distinctive spur 12 to 16 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 7 to 40 centimeters tall, it has a root less than 5 centimeters long and mostly basal leaves with 5 to 10 delicate lobes. Its leaves are nearly glabrous, with reduced cauline leaves and a cylindric, slightly one-sided inflorescence. The plant produces small winged seeds that are shiny and slightly bumpy.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; distinguished by winged seeds and high-elevation meadow habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist meadows
Elevation: 1800-2600 m
California counties: Mariposa, Plumas, Trinity, Del Norte, Sierra, Modoc, Shasta, El Dorado, Placer, Mono, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Tuolumne, Nevada, Amador, Madera, Alpine, Lassen, Tulare, Fresno, Los Angeles, Butte, Tehama, San Benito, Calaveras
Outside California: to Washington, Montana, Nevada
Bloom period
Delphinium depauperatum blooms Jun-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Lupinus: Delphinium has backward-pointing spurs on flowers; Lupinus has pea-family flowers with banner-wing-keel structure.; vs Geranium: Delphinium has spurred bilateral flowers; Geranium has radially symmetric 5-petaled flowers with no spur.; vs Epilobium: Delphinium has spurred flowers and palmately divided leaves; Epilobium has unspurred 4-petaled flowers and simple or opposite leaves.; vs Aquilegia: Delphinium has a single spur per flower; Aquilegia has 5 spurs radiating from the center.; vs Aconitum: Delphinium has an open spur with visible stamens; Aconitum has a closed hood hiding the stamens.
Frequently asked questions
Is Delphinium depauperatum native to California?
Yes. Delphinium depauperatum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Delphinium depauperatum bloom?
Delphinium depauperatum blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Delphinium depauperatum grow?
Delphinium depauperatum occurs in Mariposa, Plumas, Trinity, Del Norte, Sierra, Modoc, Shasta, El Dorado and other counties, at elevations of 1800-2600 m.
What plant family does Delphinium depauperatum belong to?
Delphinium depauperatum is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Delphinium.
What habitat does Delphinium depauperatum grow in?
Delphinium depauperatum grows in Moist meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Delphinium glaucum — Mountain
- Delphinium gracilentum — Slender or greene's larkspur
- Delphinium gypsophilum — Gypsum-loving larkspur
- Delphinium gypsophilum ssp. parviflorum — Small-flowered Gypsum-loving Larkspur
- Delphinium hansenii — Eldorado larkspur
- Delphinium hansenii subsp. ewanianum — Ewan's larkspur
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.