Delphinium hutchinsoniae

Hutchinson's larkspur

Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Hutchinson's larkspur is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in central California Coast Ranges, specifically in central Monterey County, in coastal prairie, chaparral, and forest habitats at elevations below 430 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces blue to purple flowers with distinctive down-curved sepals and intricate multi-lobed blossoms. Growing with tall stems 25 to 100 centimeters high, the plant has stems with puberulent (softly hairy) bases and spreading leaf lobes. Its leaves feature complex structures with 3 to 17 lobes, with secondary lobes spreading outward and petioles covered in generally spreading hairs. The fruit develops with distinctive blue-veined surfaces, creating an elegant contrast to the plant's delicate floral structure.

Habitat: Coastal prairie, chaparral, forest

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 430 m

Bioregions: c CCo (c Monterey Co.).

California counties: Monterey

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.