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Guardian Mix Delphinium

Delphinium elatum ‘Guardian Mix’

Regular price $3463
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Delivery and Shipping

Fast, Safe Plant Delivery
Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50 $9.99
$50 - $99.99 $14.99
$100 - $149.99 $16.99
$150 - $198.99 $24.99
$199+ FREE

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Plant Profile & Growing Essentials

Cold hardy, Flowering, Attracts pollinators, and Deer-resistant

Specifications

  • Botanical Name
    Delphinium elatum ‘Guardian Mix’
  • Height
    3-5 ft
  • Width
    2-3 ft
  • Growing Zones
    3-7
  • Sunlight
    • Full sun
    • Partial shade
  • Growth Rate
    Moderate
  • Flower Color
    • Blue
    • Purple
    • White
  • Leaf Color
    • Green
  • Pollinator Friendly
    Yes
  • Bloom Period
    Early Summer, Late Summer
  • Does Not Ship To
    AK, HI, ID, MT

Planting & Care Instructions

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: Provide at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily for the strongest stems and brightest colors. In hotter regions, a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal to prevent the blooms from scorching and to keep the roots cool.
  • Soil: These plants thrive in rich, porous soil that holds moisture like a wrung-out sponge but drains quickly. If you have heavy clay, mix in plenty of compost to prevent root rot; for sandy soil, add organic matter to help retain the consistent moisture these heavy feeders require.

Watering Requirements

Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy while your Delphiniums establish their root systems. Once established, they are not drought-tolerant and still need about an inch of water per week to support their large flower spikes. If watering is inconsistent or the soil dries out completely, the plants will become stressed, resulting in stunted blooms and a higher risk of powdery mildew.

Pruning Tips

Guardian Mix Delphiniums bloom on new wood, so you can think of pruning like a reset button for the plant. As soon as the main flower spike finishes blooming, cut it back to the smaller side shoots to encourage a second flush of flowers later in the season. In late fall or early spring, cut the entire plant down to the ground to clear the way for fresh, vigorous growth.

Fertilizer Needs

Because they grow so fast, these plants are heavy feeders and need a balanced, slow-release fertilizer applied in early spring when new shoots first appear. You can apply a liquid bloom-booster mid-summer to support the second flowering, but avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers late in the season. Excess nitrogen in autumn encourages soft, leafy growth that is easily damaged by frost and weakens the plant for winter.

Colorful cottage garden charm, the Guardian Mix Larkspur (Delphinium x 'Guardian Mix') is a beloved tall garden performer packed with rich, saturated color. Featuring tight spires of semi-double to fully double florets in variable but vivid shades of white, lavender, sky blue, true blue, and deep violet-purple, this early-blooming perennial brings vertical drama to perennial borders!

Lightly fragrant, pollinator-attracting, and reblooming with deadheading, Guardian Mix is a hybrid strain prized for its uniform bloom time, cold-hardiness, and heat tolerance. It's an upright, non-floppy cultivar that blooms in early summer and can rebloom into late summer with proper care.

Guardian Mix has a tidy, columnar, vertical growth habit with hollow yet sturdy green stems, deeply cut palmate green leaves, and robust roots that form a strong crown. Each flower spike holds tightly packed blooms with a central 'bee' (the contrasting petal center) that adds extra charm.

>>Jump to Planting & Care Instructions

Key Features

  • Hybrid Delphinium with early bloom and strong stems
  • Mixed colors: white, lavender, blue, purple
  • Reblooming with deadheading
  • Fragrant flowers attract bees and butterflies
  • Upright, non-floppy habit and excellent as cut flowers
  • Grows 3-4 feet tall and 1-1.5 feet wide

Landscaping Uses

Use Guardian Mix Larkspur to bring height, color, and classic elegance to your landscape. Its vertical shape and bold blooms anchor mixed borders and flower beds beautifully. Native to Europe and Asia, Larkspurs have been cultivated since ancient times and symbolize lightness, levity, and an open heart. The Guardian Series was bred for uniform performance and early blooming, ideal for commercial cut flower growers and home gardeners alike!

A variety of Delphinium, it produces multiple stalks from the base and grows about 3-4 feet tall and 1-1.5 feet wide, ideal for the middle to back of the border. Its green foliage holds shape well through summer, and the flowering stems make excellent cut flowers.

Care & Maintenance

Guardian Mix Larkspur is an herbaceous perennial that prefers cool summers, rich soil, and consistent moisture. It performs best with support and regular maintenance to prolong blooming. This cool-season perennial thrives in USDA growing zones 3-7 and prefers cooler summers. Ideal in northern regions and elevated areas where summers stay mild. It may go dormant during hot summers and heatwaves.

  • Planting Time: Spring or fall in cooler regions
  • Sun Requirements: Full sun to part sun; afternoon shade in hot areas
  • Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil; dislikes heavy clay or overly sandy soils
  • Moisture Needs: Moderate moisture; use the Finger Test to check for watering needs
  • Arborist Mulch: Apply a 3-4 inch layer of arborist mulch to regulate soil temperature and retain moisture
  • Fertilization Needs: Fertilize in early spring with balanced fertilizer or compost; repeat after first bloom for reblooming
  • Pruning Info: Deadhead faded blooms promptly to encourage a second flush; cut back stems after final bloom in fall
  • Division Info: Divide every 3-4 years in early spring if needed
  • Special Perks/Growing Tips:
    • Deer-resistant
    • Strong stems
    • Bred for uniform growth

A Towering Tale of Color & Grace!

The Guardian Mix Larkspur lives up to its name by guarding your garden's beauty with upright spires of spectacular blooms. Easy to love and stunning in bloom, this hybrid Delphinium delivers a wonderful range of colors and adds cool-season charm, fragrance, and pollinator support in a classic, vertical form.

Buy now, and Nature Hills will ship at the appropriate planting time for your growing zone.

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