''Delphinium carolinianum'', commonly known as Carolina larkspur, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the

buttercup family Ranunculaceae (buttercup or crowfoot family; Latin "little frog", from "frog") is a family of over 2,000 known species of flowering plants in 43 genera, distributed worldwide. The largest genera are ''Ranunculus'' (600 species), ''Delphinium' ...

. It is native to central and eastern North America, where it is found in

prairies Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

and rocky glades. It produces blue to white flowers in the spring.

Four subspecies have been named:Flora of North America
/ref> *''Delphinium carolinianum'' var. ''calciphilum'' - Native to

cedar glades A calcareous glade is a type of ecological community (ecology), community that is found in the central Eastern United States. Calcareous glade (geography), glades occur where bedrock such as limestone occurs near or at the surface, and have very ...

of the

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

*''Delphinium carolinianum'' var. ''carolinianum'' - Widespread in central and eastern North America *''Delphinium carolinianum'' var. ''vimineum'' - Native to coastal areas of the United States and Mexico *''Delphinium carolinianum'' var. ''virescens'' - Native to the

Central United States The Central United States is sometimes conceived as between the Eastern and Western as part of a three-region model, roughly coincident with the U.S. Census' definition of the Midwestern United States plus the western and central portions of ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q12222118 carolinianum