Delphinium occidentale
(Western Larkspur)
Delphinium occidentale, Bull Mountain Rd., State Forest State Park, Jackson Co. 0813
Delphinium occidentale, Bull Mountain Rd., State Forest State Park, Jackson Co. 0795
Delphinium occidentale, Bull Mountain Rd., State Forest State Park, Jackson Co. 0808
Delphinium occidentale, Bull Mountain Rd., State Forest State Park, Jackson Co. 0806
Delphinium occidentale, Bull Mountain Rd., State Forest State Park, Jackson Co. 4601
Delphinium occidentale, Bull Mountain Rd., State Forest State Park, Jackson Co. 0819
Delphinium occidentale, Bull Mountain Rd., State Forest State Park, Jackson Co. 0814
Delphinium occidentale, Mountain View Trail, State Forest State Park, Jackson Co. 0915
| Scientific Name | Delphinium occidentale | USDA PLANTS Symbol | DEOC |
| Common Name | Western Larkspur, Tall Larkspur | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 18485 |
| Family | Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat: Foothills and montane (7400 to 11000 ft.); meadows, brushlands, streamsides, woodlands.
Plant: Erect perennial with one to several, unbranched stems 24 to 80 inches tall; stems smooth except slightly pubescent in flowering portion. Leaves: Basal and lower stem leaves normally absent by flowering time; alternate stem leaves round in outline 2 to 6 inches across, deeply palmately-cleft into 3 main wedge-shaped segments, the lateral two lobes are further divided (but not so deeply) into 2 to 3 main segments; often appearing as 5 to 7 lobes; lobe edges are toothed and surfaces are pubescent on both sides; on petioles 3/8 to 4-3/4 inches long. Inflorescence: Raceme up to 14 inches long with more than 25 flowers, each with hairy or glandular-hairy calyx with blue/white petal-like sepals 1/4 to 1/2-inch long with mucronate tips; upper sepal has spur 3/8 to 5/8-inch long extending rearward; petals are blue to whitish with white hairs. Bloom Period: July and August. References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, Paul Slichter, “Manual of Montana Vascular Plants” by Peter Lesica, Montana Plant Life and Flora of North America. Note: Considered by some authors as D. xoccidentale, a hybrid of D. glaucum and D. barbeyi. |
BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key | Colorado Status: Native |
© Tom Lebsack 2025
Banner photo: Castilleja rhexifolia and a brewing storm over the San Juan Mountains
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