Delphinium nuttallianum
Dwarf, meadow, slim, or sonne's larkspur
(c) Andrey Zharkikh, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Delphinium nuttallianum (Dwarf) is a native California herb in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by narrow leaf lobes and small stature are key.
Dwarf larkspur is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, Sierra Nevada, and Modoc Plateau in open woodlands, sagebrush scrub, meadow edges, and streambanks at elevations of 300 to 3,300 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces blue to purple flowers with distinct delicate petals in small clusters of generally fewer than 12 blooms. Growing with slender stems 10 to 50 centimeters tall that are glabrous to slightly hairy, it emerges from clustered roots near the base of the plant. Its leaves are concentrated in the lower fifth of the stem, featuring 7 to 25 narrow lobes less than 7 millimeters wide, deeply divided almost to the leaf stalk. The fruit is slightly curved and measures 7 to 17 millimeters long, with smooth, shiny seeds that have an inflated collar.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 28 sympatric species; narrow leaf lobes and small stature are key
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open woodland, sagebrush scrub, meadow edges, streambanks
Elevation: 300-3300 m
California counties: Plumas, Tuolumne, Butte, Siskiyou, Alpine, Modoc, Fresno, Lassen, El Dorado, Trinity, Amador, Del Norte, Placer, Tulare, Mariposa, Sierra, Tehama, Nevada, Humboldt, Mono, Shasta, Napa, Calaveras, Mendocino, Madera, Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Inyo, Riverside
Outside California: to British Columbia, Colorado, northern Arizona
Bloom period
Delphinium nuttallianum blooms May-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 nuttallianum native to California?
Yes. Delphinium nuttallianum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Delphinium nuttallianum bloom?
Delphinium nuttallianum blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Delphinium nuttallianum grow?
Delphinium nuttallianum occurs in Plumas, Tuolumne, Butte, Siskiyou, Alpine, Modoc, Fresno, Lassen and other counties, at elevations of 300-3300 m.
What plant family does Delphinium nuttallianum belong to?
Delphinium nuttallianum is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Delphinium.
What habitat does Delphinium nuttallianum grow in?
Delphinium nuttallianum grows in Open woodland, sagebrush scrub, meadow edges, streambanks.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Delphinium parishii — Desert larkspur
- Delphinium parishii subsp. pallidum — Pale-flowered parish's larkspur
- Delphinium parishii subsp. parishii — Parish's
- Delphinium parishii subsp. subglobosum — Colorado desert larkspur
- Delphinium parryi — San bernardino larkspur
- Delphinium parryi subsp. blochmaniae — Dune 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.