An occasional report on all things Salvia !!!
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My previous reports are stored HERE
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Starting with that all important thing - the weather !!
SALVIAS IN THE UK, 2008
The weather in 2008 was generally very poor. Spring was just about acceptable, but Summer was generally very cool and overcast.
However there were no deluges like in 2007. We bought a new barbeque in May, and not once was it warm enough to use it!
The first half of October was quite pleasant, and the Autumn-flowering Salvias started to put on a good show. Where I live,
we usually experience our first frost at the end of this month. But, in 2008, instead of frost, we had a freak snow-storm in
the last week of October. Three inches of snow fell within 2 hours, which settled everywhere. Then it froze. Just about every
Salvia in flower was smashed. I was particularly upset that Salvia madrensis was destroyed, as it was in its full glory.
That's life, I suppose. Best not to mention "global warming." But having just mentioned that, it is now early February, and we
have had 8 inches of snow within the last 24 hours. UK at a standstill as is the norm, but my greenhouse heaters have not let
me down, and many Salvias are flowering well in there.
A major event in 2008 was the Salvia summit at Cabrillo College, California, in August. I had been invited to speak there,
but several reasons prevented me from attending. Having spoken with some of the attendees, I gather it was a great success.
People from Japan, Australia, UK, etc., were there, and everyone enjoyed meeting their counterparts from distant destinations,
and discussing the successes and failures of growing Salvias in diverse climates. The weather plays a major role as to how any
particular Salvia will perform, every year is different, as I mentioned about the UK climate. In 2008, abnormal heat has plagued
parts of Australia, with temperatures of 112 degrees (45 C), torrential rainstorms in Northern Australia, and a severe drought
with blistering heat in Argentina. I regret very much that I was not able to attend. Richard Dufresne has added a marvellous
link about the summit on his website.
Salvia fulgens with large green bracts
Weird and wonderful things have been happening in Australia for the last two years. There are no Salvias endemic to
Australia......though the weedy Salvia plebeia (or plebeja as it is sometimes spelt), has been found in the northern areas.
Long story attached to this, but, let it be said that there are no Salvias that originate from Australasia. Salvia specialists
in Australia, and there are many.....Sue Templeton, Annette Wright, Pat Anderson, Wendy Smith, and many others have all found
new hybrids, some of which are often superior to the parents. But, in many cases, the parents are unknown. Salvia "Wendy's Wish"
is an example. Not yet available in the UK, this seems to be taking Australia by storm, as a wonderful, non-rampant plant,
flowering all year-round.
It would seem that the enigmatic Salvia buchananii might possibly be involved in the parentage,
but there are experts who consider S. buchananii to be a hybrid, parentage unknown! I desperately hope that this Salvia will
find its way to Europe before long. Another superb Australian hybrid which has reached our shores is S. involucrata 'Joan',
This is proving to be very hardy, and I am delighted that cuttings I gave to RHS Wisley are in abundance in the borders there.
A wonderful summer-flowering form of Salvia guaranitica with huge deep blue flowers, has also been very successful here, thanks
to Sue Templeton. In Australia there seem so be many splendid hybrids, also from S. involucrata...these are likely to be
sterile...but very beautiful. The world of Salvias is never-ending with new additions each year.
Salvia curviflora
The many Argentinian Salvias have caused much debate with botanists this year, John Wood and Christian Froissart in particular.
There is massive confusion as to the correct names, and I realise that some of the Argentinian Salvias shown on my site may be
incorrectly named. Investigations are taking place at herbariums around the world, but since they contradict each other, it
could take a long time before the correct nonclemature is decided. For example, Salvia meyeri was grown at RHS Wisley a few
years ago, a new Salvia for me. I tried to investigate where this Salvia originated from...was told northern Argentina. A rather
beautiful blue Salvia, a bit rampant, totally hardy, and variable from seed. But the name "meyeri" is invalid! This was an old
synonym for Salvia atrocyanea, which is totally different. This Salvia was investigated, and Christian Froissart identified this
as Salvia rhinosina. More confusion about this......it would seem that this is not rhinosina after all, as this may not be any
longer in cultivation. (But, Argentina is a huge country!)
To add to the mystery, I obtained seeds of Salvia stachydifolia, a
few years ago, another Argentinian species, which is obviously related to my meyeri, this is a very tall and sprawling plant,
with small flowers, but when in full bloom, it is stunning, though it does need some support. BUT...a great friend of mine,
from Buenos Aires, Rolando Uria, gave me seeds of a beautiful Salvia which he found in the province of Catamarca, 2 years ago.
This is a beautiful plant, with deep blue flowers. John Wood has now identified this as the real Salvia stachydifolia. This is
totally different from my plant. So it would seem that I have two Argentinian Salvias which are yet to be correctly identified.
I had the pleasure of visiting my friend in Buenos Aires last year, and was given seeds of two other Argentinian species, new to
Europe, S. pallida and S. nervosa. Was told that these should both be hardy, but am over-wintering cuttings under glass, a good
decision I think, if you read the first paragraph of this newsletter! Neither performed well last summer, but I have high hopes
for Salvia pallida. This is like a compact uliginosa, with larger flowers. I saw this in full flower in BA, and it is a great
Salvia. Will reserve judgment on nervosa.....not initially impressed...looked nice in Argentina....but uninteresting here.
Salvia vitifolia
The highlights of 2008 were the following....S. curviflora, S. vitifolia, S. miniata, and S. fulgens from Mt. Popocateptel (
with the lime green bracts). All performed with distinction.....along with many others. Vitifolia is really stunning!
Next year, I hope to provide more information about a potentially stunning South African hybrid....possibly aurita x
muirii....not sure....but fabulous! (Have named this "Rolando")
But.....there were some disappointments again. S. dombeyi was devastated by spider-mite, and I have not had one flower!
So sad! None of the large splendens were happy as it was a bit cold. They did flower, but in a pathetic way! But, Van
Houttei took off in October, until the snowstorm. Keerlii was very late to flower, due to the low temperatures, in full bloom
mid-October....then the snow-storm!
Now it is February 2009, whole country smothered in snow, very beautiful, but also very frustrating!
February 2009
Sincere best wishes to Salvia lovers world-wide,
Robin.
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