Flower profile

Upland larkspur

Delphinium nuttallianum

Native in the lower 48

Upland larkspur is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–July.

13states

2of our state lists

5,275U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Colorado, Idaho

Quick look

Delphinium nuttallianum is a species of larkspur known by the common names two-lobe larkspur, upland larkspur, common larkspur, and Nuttall's larkspur. It is widely distributed across western North America from California to Alberta, including mountain meadows and the majority of the sagebrush steppe, except very dry areas.
From Wikipedia's article Delphinium nuttallianum, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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 13 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado and Idaho. ^NatureServe
In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–July. ^iNaturalist
In Idaho, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,288 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #68 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 432 research-grade sightings of it in Idaho, ranking #92 among the 109 flowers on our Idaho list. ^iNaturalist

Upland larkspur gift ideas

Handmade upland larkspur gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,209 records)

Bloom time in each of our 2 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Colorado	Native	April–July	2,288
Idaho	Native	April–June	432

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Colorado: No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
Idaho: No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Idaho.
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: NE (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

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.

For petsToxic to dogs, cats and horses

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 upland larkspur in 13 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Archuleta, Boulder, Delta, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Elbert, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Jackson, Jefferson, La Plata, Larimer, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Routt, San Juan, San Miguel, Summit.

Idaho counties with USDA records: Ada, Adams, Bannock, Bear Lake, Benewah, Blaine, Boise, Bonner, Bonneville, Boundary, Butte, Camas, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Clark, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Franklin, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Lincoln, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Shoshone, Twin Falls, Valley, Washington.

More Colorado flowers

Red baneberry

Actaea rubra

Native

🌼 Blooms: May–June

Blue columbine

Aquilegia coerulea

★ CO state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms in CO: June–August

Prairie pasqueflower

Pulsatilla nuttalliana

★ SD state floral emblemNative

🌼 Blooms in CO: March–June

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile DENU2.
iNaturalist, Delphinium nuttallianum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Delphinium nuttallianum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Colorado: Colorado noxious weed lists A, B and C (8 CCR 1206-2, eff. May 15, 2025).
Idaho: Idaho noxious weeds (IDAPA 02.06.09, Section 220).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Delphinium nuttallianum (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
Photo: Dominic McLean via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.