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Ranunculaceae FAMILY

Delphinium staphisagria

Delphinium staphisagria

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

All parts of the plant contain diterpene alkaloids and are highly toxic[1, 2, 3]. The plant is most toxic when it is young[4]. Ingestion of a lethal dose produces a feeling of excitement, followed by depression and extreme sensitivity of the nerves, followed by paralysis, a slowing of the pulse and finally death by asphyxia[5].

Cultivation Details

HabitBiennial/Perennial
Growth—

Succeeds in most soils and situations[1] but prefers a rich well-drained neutral to alkaline soil[1, 4, 3] and is intolerant of winter-wet soils[4]. Requires an open sunny position[6]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[4]. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[7].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a cold frame or mid spring outdoors. Keep moist and in a shady position until germination takes place[8]. Seed can also be sown either in a cold frame or in situ as soon as it is ripe in mid to late summer[8], though seedlings from the outdoor sowing can be killed in cold winters[PFAF]. The seed has a limited viability so it should be stored in a sealed container at about 3°c[4]. Temperatures above 15°c inhibit germination[8]. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 9 weeks at 15°c[8]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Delphinium+staphisagria>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]A Modern Herbal. — Grieve. · Penguin · 1984 · ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 ↩︎Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
  2. [2]Herbs of Greece. — Niebuhr. A. D. · Herb Society of America. · 1970 · ISBN - ↩︎A pleasant little book about Greek herbs.
  3. [3]Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. — Bown. D. · Dorling Kindersley, London. · 1995 · ISBN 0-7513-020-31 ↩︎A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
  4. [4]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  5. [5]The Complete Homeopathy Handbook. — Castro. M. · Macmillan. London. · 1990 · ISBN 0-333-55581-3 ↩︎A concise beginner's guide to the subject. Very readable.
  6. [6]The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers — Brickell. C. · Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. · 1990 · ISBN 0-86318-386-7 ↩︎Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
  7. [7]How to Enjoy your Weeds. — Hatfield. A. W. · Frederick Muller Ltd · 1977 · ISBN 0-584-10141-4 ↩︎Interesting reading.
  8. [8]Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') — Bird. R. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1991 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Corydalis spp.
  9. [9]Flowers of the Mediterranean. — Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. · Hogarth Press · 1987 · ISBN 0-7012-0784-1 ↩︎A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses.
  10. [10]Flora of New Zealand. — Allan. H. H. · Government Printer, Wellington. · 1961 · http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Book.aspx?fileName=Flora%201.xml · ISBN - ↩︎The standard work, in 5 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats. There is also an on-line version.
  11. [11]Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. — Schofield. J. J. · Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska · 2003 · ISBN 0882403699 ↩︎A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
  12. [12]A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. — Usher. G. · Constable · 1974 · ISBN 0094579202 ↩︎Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
  13. [13]Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. — Polunin. O. · Oxford University Press · 1969 · ISBN 0192176218 ↩︎An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
  14. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎