Stems 12–20-inches tall from a dense basal rosette of deeply lobed leaves are topped with spike-like clusters of 1-inch, irregular, pale blue to lavender or white flowers. Note the nearly leafless stem, and the flowers with long spurs and white lower petals covered with long, curly white hairs.

FLOWER: May–June. Spike-like clusters (racemes) on upper stem; flowers irregular, spurred, light-blue to lavender or whitish; 5 sepals showy, petal-like, white to lavender; side sepals fold backwards, the upper sepal forms ascending spur; 4 small, white and blue petals. The upper sepal encloses 2 petals to form a 1/2–3/4 inch long (15–20 mm), upward-pointing, curved spur that contains the nectary to attract pollinators; the lower 2 petals are whitish-lavender, deeply notched and densely covered with white hairs and arch over the stamens. The fruit is in a tight, erect (not spreading) cluster.

LEAVES: Basal leaves present at blooming; stem leaves alternate, scattered. Basal blades fan-shaped to oval, 1 1/4–2-inches wide (3–5 cm), and deeply lobed; petioles to 3-inches long (8 cm); surfaces covered with short, curly hairs (use lens). Stem leaves smaller with narrow  lobes.

HABITAT: Sandy, gravelly soils, roadsides, plains, foothills, disturbed areas; desert grasslands and scrub, pinyon-juniper, oak woodlands.

ELEVATION: 2,500–6,200 feet.

RANGE: AZ, CO, NM, TX.

SIMILAR SPECIES: The desert/grasslands habitats, short stem, and showy, pale-blue to white flowers help distinguish this species in NM. New Mexico Larkspur, D. novomexicanum, in southern NM mountains, reaches 3+ feet tall and has smaller, not very showy flowers.

NM COUNTIES: Nearly statewide in low- to mid-elevation, dry habitats: Bernalillo, Catron, Chaves, Cibola, Colfax, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Harding, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Quay, Roosevelt, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, Union, Valencia.