Blue Bird Delphinium

Delphinium elatum 'Blue Bird'

flower

Blue Bird is a classic Pacific Giant delphinium, the plant that defines the romantic English border. It sends up towering, densely packed flower spikes four to six feet tall in early summer, lined with large, clear sky-blue flowers each centered with a contrasting white eye known as the bee. Few perennials match its vertical drama or its pure blue color. Delphiniums are, however, demanding and often short-lived: they crave rich soil, full sun, and cool summers, dislike heat and humidity, and their tall hollow stalks must be staked against wind and rain. Cut back after the first bloom, they often rebloom in late summer. They are the centerpiece of the cottage and cutting garden where summers stay cool.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Peony — A sturdy early-summer companion whose bushy form helps hide the bare delphinium ankles
• Garden Phlox — Takes over the vertical interest in midsummer as the delphinium is cut back
• Catmint — A low blue haze at the base that echoes the spire color and draws bees

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Slugs →

  Devour the tender new spring shoots - hand-pick at night, set traps, and clear debris around the crowns, especially as growth emerges

• Snails →

  Like slugs, they shred new growth - trap or hand-pick and keep mulch back from the crown

• Powdery mildew →

  A white film in humid or crowded conditions - give full sun and airflow, space plants well, and avoid wetting the foliage late in the day

• Crown rot →

  The main killer - caused by wet, poorly drained soil or planting too deep; ensure sharp drainage and set the crown at soil level

🌸 Blooms & cutting

Delphinium is a magnificent cut flower - cut the spikes in the cool morning when the lower two-thirds of the florets have opened, and they make a dramatic tall accent in arrangements. In the garden the essential tasks are staking the stalks before they flop and cutting the whole spike back to the basal foliage once the flowers fade, which both tidies the plant and often triggers a second flush of bloom in late summer. Handle with care and wash up afterward, since all parts are poisonous.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

An ornamental perennial grown for its dramatic blue spires and as a premier cut flower. The flowers are visited by bees and hummingbirds, but every part is poisonous, so its value is purely ornamental - do not let it be eaten.

⚠️ Toxicity & safety

All parts of delphinium are very poisonous - they contain diterpene alkaloids that are toxic to people, dogs, cats, and livestock, with the young foliage and seeds the most dangerous; eating it can cause vomiting, weakness, and serious heart and nervous-system effects. Plant it where pets and children will not graze it, and never eat any part.