About Delphinium hansenii (Greene) Greene
Delphinium hansenii, commonly known as Eldorado larkspur, is a perennial herbaceous wildflower. It typically reaches a height of 0.5 to 1 meter, though individual plants can grow much taller. Its deeply lobed leaves are covered in hairs, with particularly dense hairiness on their undersides. The inflorescence, located at the top of the stem, usually holds more than 25 closely grouped flowers on long pedicels. Flowers of this species range in color from white to light blue or light pink, and may also be bicolored, with variation in flower size. The inner petals are often quite hairy. Flowering occurs between March and May. The diploid chromosome number for D. hansenii is 2n=32. It produces fruit in the form of a follicle. While it can be mistaken for Delphinium hesperium, D. hansenii is easily identifiable by its unique seeds. Its seeds, distinct among other species in the Delphinium genus, bear many prism-like raised structures, and this characteristic also distinguishes D. hansenii from most other species in the genus.
