Delphinium uliginosum

Swamp larkspur

Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Swamp larkspur is a California native perennial found in southern North Coast Ranges in streambanks, chaparral, and grassland on serpentine at elevations of 400 to 600 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces blue to purple flowers with distinctive lateral sepals 9 to 14 millimeters long and a curving spur 10 to 14 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 8 to 70 centimeters tall that are nearly smooth and have a base narrower than the root, it maintains a firmly attached structure. Its basal leaves are somewhat fleshy and fan-shaped, typically divided less than halfway to the petiole with a tapered base. The fruit develops 10 to 18 millimeters long with bumpy, slightly winged seeds.

Habitat: Streambanks, chaparral, grassland, on serpentine

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 400-600 m

Bioregions: s NCoRI (very local).

California counties: Butte, Lake, Napa, Colusa, Mendocino, Sonoma, Monterey

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