Delphinium cardinale is a species in the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) family known by the common names Scarlet Larkspur. This wildflower is found primarily in the southern half of California and Baja California, where it grows on coastal and inland chaparral slopes. This tall larkspur grows on an erect stem which can exceed two meters in height. The basal leaves are divided into many narrow lobes. The top of the thin stem is occupied by many widely spaced flowers, each at the end of a pedicel several centimeters long. Each flower has scarlet red sepals which are generally curled forward into a bowl shape. The petals are also scarlet, except for the top two which are scarlet marked with bright yellow blotches. The flower may be 3 centimeters wide and the same in length, including the spur. This is a very showy plant when in bloom that works well at the back of a bed or among low chaparral shrubs. Due to its height and thin stem it may need support when in bloom. It will die back to the ground in late summer and should be kept dry, reemerging in spring if conditions have been suitable.