I've never seen Delphiniums or "Gallery"-type (Russel) lupines to do well in the long run anyweher in California except in the best parts of NCal.

But I do know they do VERY well if you treat them as cool-season annuals. I've had great success with putting these out (along with other "eastern/norther perennials) in fall and allowing them to develop their basal growth through winter and then they bloom gorgeously late winter through spring and somtimes into summer. After that, I chop them down and out completely and start again fresh next fall.

I wonder if Al from Calistoga has had true perennial success with these.

Joe

I agree that it might be late to start these as annuals, which is what we have to do here in L.A. There are quite a number of native lupine perennials you should be able to grow in SJ. My favorite is Lupinus albifrons, but argenteus, formosus, latifolius, lepidus, leucophyllus, and polyphyllus are possibilities as well (a couple of those are hard to find). All the Lupines are nitrogen fixers, so that's a nice bonus for poor soils.

Occasionally I put in Delphiniums. I can usually get 2-3 bloom spikes out of them. After the first spike is done, I wait until I see basal foliage and cut the entire spike back, fertilize and it will put up a new spike and then possibly repeat and get a third much smaller spike. I haven't had them come back the next year as in "perennial".

I put out seeds a few years ago from one of the native annual lupines (L. nanus...I think) and it has done very well, reseeding reliably. They are in full bloom right now among the Tidy tips and poppies.

wanda

I have had great results with Lupine here in Calistoga. I planted a Delphinium last year in the Sharpsteen Museum garden in a very hot location faced with a large asphalt parking lot, and was pleased how well it held up. This year it it has come back with lush growth and I expect great bloom. I started a lot of both Lupine and Delphinium from seed too early and they are now in a holding pattern in my cold frame. When and if it warms up they will (I hope!) start growing again and if I am lucky bloom this year, but at least I will have an early start on next year. Al

from Los Altos: Delphinium, nope. However, just now, you will see native lupines flowering off freeway 280 in places, particularly north of San Jose. These are purple flowered. They would look real good with the orange native poppies, which I do have in spades. I have tried to dig some of these lupines up and establish them in my yard, but I have not been successful. Oh well. Seeding 'em like Wanda does sounds like it would work though. They are native and do grow wild after all.

You should try some of the various recommended "easier to grow" Lupines from Annie's Annuals, if you want to grow them as perennials, I know that several varieties she carries are good for at least 2 to 3 years as perennials, if grown in full sun and baited for snail. Delphiniums are easy enough to grow as perennials here in Berkeley, but they are such snail magnets that I personally don't think they are worth the bother, but grow well enough if baited regularly. I would second the opinion that they are perhaps most vigorous if used as annuals to be planted out in September/October for next spring bloom. Remember to bait well if you have snails.

For that tall, spire type of spring flower, Foxgloves are ever so much easier to grow, resist both snails and deer, and reseed to boot.

Larkspur is a good substitute too as a winter annual.

Thanks for all your responses. I think I'll try them both, and hope the Delphiniums bloom before it gets too hot or they die back.

There are lots of native Lupines and Delphiniums in California. There are several blue Delphiniums, a couple of reds (nudicaule and cardinale), a yellow (luteum) which is endangered, and several Aconitums which are quite similar to Delphiniums. I guess the snail populations in the wild aren't nearly as great as they are in the suburbs.

After snails ate two gallon size lupines down to the ground in just a week, they've been off my grow list. There are so many other less delicious yet lovely plants to grow.

BettyN

Lupines grow wild where I live and we have quite a few on our 5 acres. They grow much bigger in the ares where I have drip hoses or sprinklers, but they grow wild in our field along with CA. poppies.

For the life of me I have never had that much luck with Lupine.... I love them though. Delphs love me and they grow very well for me. Seeing your post I was inspired to try again. I had some Lupine (they bloomed but are not the best looking plants) but this year it look like they have just about petered out. So since I pretty much devote most of my beds to Delphinium and use a lot of manure etc I thought i would investigate Lupine soil needs.

There is a post a page over from this one that was talking about ph...it seems Lupine like a more acidic soil...which would make sense why they don't do well for me as Delphs like a more alkaline soil. So you would think that you can't grow them together...
My sister has really good luck with Lupine...they grow like bushes for her! I am so jealous....they reseed like crazy and I can barely get the ones I have to show up the following year when I take roll call.
Last year she planted Delphs on the same side with her Lupine...so I wonder if the Delphs have come back up for her?? I will call her later and see and get back to you all.

I have had moderate success with delphiniums. I do not buy the six pack anymore, but mature plants. They last longer. I purchased a few at the Old Rose Show in El Cerrito a few years ago and they have done very well for me. Alas, the vendor was not there last year. I have three that are doing very well and one I got from Annie's that is still doing well.

I got two lupines from Annies, one died, and one is doing thriving - go figure.

Carol

Well talking with my sister, she had planted 2 Delps with her Lupine. One has come back and one has not. So maybe there is something to the fact that delps like Alkaline soil and Lupine like acidic soil. I am trying attach photos below but I have never done it before...if you see a bunch of mumbo jumbo...sorry! If it works you should be able to click on teh picture to go to the album.
Sarah
{{gwi:527486}}Garden

I've given up on the varieties you mentioned, and anything closely related. The best substitute i've had for delph's is the larkspur previously mentioned. you can buy varieties with double flowers, and thru judicious thinning of singles, each year, can enjoy really beautiful delph-like displays in purple, pink, mauve, lavender, white and picotees. Zero maintenence, reseeds nicely. I have a delph. cardinalis from annies annuals i'm trying, so far it's looking good, and is putting up a flower stalk. the next test will be if it survives to next year.

The only lupines i've had flower succussfully are lupinus succulentus, l. palaestinus and l.hirsutissimus. They are all very modest flowers, but the native bees love them, and the honey bees, and i don't have to go thru the pain anymore of watching something die slowly before my eyes, as i did with the showy hybrids. they all reliably reseed and require less water. Mo

Delfs do well for me but I have winter weather that can look like . They are heavy feeders and I am not a slave to fertilizing more than some spring and fall alfalfa meal and organic bone meal, so I do loose a few every year.

We also have native lupines but I've never been able to get them to grow from seed. Do they need some special pre-planting treatment?

Sarah, that's a lovely pic! Thanks for sharing!

Diana

I bought a species delphinium from annie's annuals a few years ago, and planted it in part shade without much expectations of success, but was surprised. It survived (a miracle in it's own right, considering snails view delphiniums the most delicious of all plants and will go to any lengths to get to them) and bloomed on long sturdy stalks the next year. The flowers were a washy blue-lavender, not too impressive. Lots of seed was set, and many self sown seedlings came up to consequently bloom the next year or two. I still am getting the occasional seedling coming up. I am trying to remember the species name, I think it started with s, maybe staphy-something? Worth looking into as a possibility if you're looking for something easy.

angelcub Lupine seed need to be soaked over night in hot water before the seed will take in water and germination will begin. Al

Davissue, maybe D. requenii? I bought that one from Annies and it's a prolific self-sower with shiny green leaves and is snail resistant.

wanda

I've tried Delphiniums twice, they never lasted.

angelcub, i don't pre-soak the species lupines, although i did the first year per package directions. now the dropped seeds sprout on their own. i do mulch with bark/tree trimmings, and supplement with water in dry winters, so the seeds stay moist. the winter blooms have already set seed, and in watered areas, the dropped seeds are germinating again. they also reseed in my succulent beds that are mulched with rock/gravel. mo

Wanda, you're right, that is what it is. It's blooming right now, but the high winds have whipped it into a tattered mess, so I won't post a picture. Really gang, this delphinium is as easy to grow as annual larkspur, if you're desperate for delphiniums in a hot dry environment. I found a picture of it on the web if anyone wants a look.

Here is a link that might be useful: Delphinium requienii

I picked up some Lupinus albifrons var. collinus (a low-growing silver bush lupine) from Mostly Natives nursery in Tomales, and several of my plants are so far thriving and blooming in San Jose (near Los Gatos). One succumbed to the dreaded dog pee disease, and another was in a bed that just seems to be death to lupines. I'll be interested to see what happens with these next year. I have given them no water since the spring rains stopped and they remain happy.