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Re: Help identifying flower


> I'm trying to identify a flower which I've seen in light blue and
> purple. Some have suggested delphinium or larkspur. Looks similar but
> the striking feature of this flower is that the back of the flower
> is pointed [about an inch] on the back side of the flower so that
> the flower appears like a five-petaled pointed hat. Does that sound
> like a delphinium to you? None of the local nurseries know what it is
> and he grocery store where I bought the boquet won't tell me the
> name of their supplier. Even if you can't identify the flower, it would
> help to know if it is any type of delphinium.  


Yes Carol, it does sound like a delphinium specie of some sort. From 
your description it may also be an aquilegia (granny's bonnet) or 
aconitum (monkshood). However, given that is was used as a cut flower 
and also assuming that it was grown locally we can narrow the 
possibilities:

aquilegia......not normally used as a cut flower and then usually 
only in the natural season and even then usually in brighter colours

Aconitum...often used in mixed summer boquets. Has a good vase life 
but not usually forced for out of season flowering

Delphinium ajacis (larkspur)..... Easier to force out of season but I 
have not seen it in the shape you describe.

Other delph species:

There are many other delphinium species that seem to fit the bill but 
the most  likely would be D. belladonna, bellamosum.(sold under 
various names eg. Connecticut Yankee). This conforms both to the 
shape and colour you describe and is commonly grown as a cut flower. 
It is also easily and cheaply forced for the spring market. If you 
could send me a photograph I may be able to help further. 
It may be better to persuade your grocer to ask 
his supplier to tell him the name and then for him to tell you. What 
is this, the secret service?

You can purchase delphinium belladonna in dark blue (bellamosum), 
light blue (clivedon beauty) and white (cassablanca) from most 
reputable mail order seedsmen. T&M have a reasonable range including 
Bella Donna imp Mix (which I have no experience of at all) and the 
seed stays viable for a relatively (for delphinium) long time.

It could of course be something else entirely!!!

Good luck

Terry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terry Dowdeswell
Tuakau, New Zealand
Terry@delphinium.co.nz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.delphinium.co.nz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time flies like the wind - fruit flies like bananas
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