Delphinium patens subsp. patens
Photo: parent species Delphinium patens · (c) Justin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Delphinium patens subsp. patens is a native California herb in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by grassland/foothill habitat with moderately divided leaves and glabrous pedicels.
Spreading larkspur is a California native perennial found in southern North Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, and northern South Coast Ranges in grassland and open woodland at elevations of 80 to 1,100 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces blue to purple flowers with distinctive sepals 9 to 20 millimeters long and a curved spur 10 to 15 millimeters in length. Growing with stems 10 to 90 centimeters tall, it has an upright and somewhat branching structure. Its basal and lower stem leaves are deeply divided into 3 to 5 lobes, each generally less than 15 millimeters wide, with lower leaf segments cut more than 80 percent toward the leaf stem. The lower flower petals are 4 to 6 millimeters long, with inner lobes noticeably hairier than outer lobes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 39 sympatric species; grassland/foothill habitat with moderately divided leaves and glabrous pedicels
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassland, open woodland
Elevation: 80-1100 m
California counties: Solano, Stanislaus, Santa Clara, Nevada, Lake, Monterey, Napa, Tulare, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Benito, Los Angeles, Sonoma, Glenn, Santa Cruz, Marin, Kern, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Yuba, Butte, Calaveras, San Mateo, Yolo, Plumas, Tehama, El Dorado, San Diego, Fresno, Placer, Madera, Sutter, San Joaquin, Amador, Trinity, Colusa, Merced, Sierra, San Francisco
Bloom period
Delphinium patens subsp. patens blooms Mar-Jun.
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 patens subsp. patens native to California?
Yes. Delphinium patens subsp. patens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Delphinium patens subsp. patens bloom?
Delphinium patens subsp. patens blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Delphinium patens subsp. patens grow?
Delphinium patens subsp. patens occurs in Solano, Stanislaus, Santa Clara, Nevada, Lake, Monterey, Napa, Tulare and other counties, at elevations of 80-1100 m.
What plant family does Delphinium patens subsp. patens belong to?
Delphinium patens subsp. patens is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Delphinium.
What habitat does Delphinium patens subsp. patens grow in?
Delphinium patens subsp. patens grows in Grassland, open woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.