Delphinium 'Raymond Lister'

RHS Plant Profile
delphinium 'Raymond Lister'
delphinium 'Raymond Lister' RHS
Award of Garden Merit
Herbaceous Perennial

'Raymond Lister' is an erect, strong-growing, free-flowering herbaceous perennial, up to 1.7m high, with an equal balance between lobed green leaves and tapering spikes of brown-eyed, mid-blue flowers in midsummer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Ranunculaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Potentially harmful
Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and wash hands after handling
Genus
Delphinium can be annuals, biennials or perennials, with palmately lobed basal leaves and showy bowl-shaped flowers in spikes, racemes or panicles
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in a fertile, well-drained soil in full sun; shelter from strong winds and provide stakes or other supports. See staking perennials and delphinium cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by basal softwood cuttings in spring, or by division in early spring or early autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required except deadheading; cut stems down to ground level at the end of the growing season

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, earwigs, delphinium leaf miner, delphinium moth caterpillars, slugs, snails and caterpillars

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, delphinium black blotch, grey moulds, Sclerotinia disease, and cucumber mosaic virus