Flower profile
Low larkspur
Delphinium bicolor
Low larkspur is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Montana it's most often seen in bloom in April–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Montana
Quick look
Delphinium bicolour is a species of larkspur known as little larkspur and low larkspur. It is native to northwestern North America from British Columbia to South Dakota, where it grows in mountain forests and foothill scrub and prairie. This is a perennial herb growing from a thickly branching root system. It produces solitary stems to 40 centimetres (16 in) in height and green with reddish bases.
- It belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 5 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Montana. NatureServe
- In Montana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–July. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 541 research-grade sightings of it in Montana, ranking #81 among the 109 flowers on our Montana list. iNaturalist
Low larkspur gift ideas
Handmade low larkspur gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Low larkspur art print
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Low larkspur greeting card
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Low larkspur mug
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Low larkspur earrings
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Low larkspur embroidery pattern
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Low larkspur sticker
When does it bloom?
In Montana, most flowering sightings come in April–July.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Montana
- No list Montana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Montana ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Montana.
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
ASPCA's entry “Larkspur” (Delphinium species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Unless there is a lack of suitable forage, horses typically do not consume toxic amounts of larkspur. The toxicity of the plant may vary depending on seasonal changes and field conditions; as the… ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records low larkspur in 5 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming.
Montana counties with USDA records: Beaverhead, Big Horn, Blaine, Broadwater, Carbon, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Glacier, Golden Valley, Granite, Hill, Jefferson, Judith Basin, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Madison, McCone, Meagher, Mineral, Missoula, Musselshell, Park, Petroleum, Phillips, Pondera, Powder River, Powell, Rosebud, Sanders, Sheridan, Silver Bow, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Teton, Toole, Treasure, Valley, Wheatland, Wibaux, Yellowstone.
More Montana flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile DEBI.
- iNaturalist, Delphinium bicolor: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Delphinium bicolor (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Montana: Montana noxious weed list (Admin. R. Mont. 4.5.206–4.5.210).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Delphinium bicolor (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Matt Lavin via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.