Salvia Gallery
Page 10
Salvia nutans
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A very unusual hardy perennial species from Eastern Europe and Russia, this plant was grown from seed collected in Romania.
From large basal foliage, the leafless flowering stems arise up to 3 ft. tall. This is known as the "nodding sage" as the
the racemes curl downwards. Tight whorls of mid-blue flowers can be seen in early Summer. It does set seed, but it also tends
to hybridise with similar neighbours. Hardly spectacular, but an important salvia for a serious collector. Huge drifts of
this can be seen in the Balkans in Spring. Unfortunately, I only have one plant.
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Salvia patens 'Cambridge Blue'
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The large sky-blue flowers of this cultivar are rapidly becoming well-known, and this salvia can be found in some of the better
garden centres. Like the other forms of S. patens, this grows well in part-shade, and seems to resent too much sunshine.
The colour of the flowers is mind-blowing, but there are never many flowers at any one time. Perhaps a light blue form of
'Guanajuato' will materialise before long. Occasionally subject to a viral wilt, this is quite hardy, though seeds and
cuttings can be taken easily. This, grown with S, tubiflora (see page 7), creates an interesting combination...if you
like orange and sky-blue together! It works for me.
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Salvia microphylla
'Robin's Pride'
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This was from seed that I collected 2 years ago in California from S. microphylla 'Hot Lips' (see page 2). Quite unlike 'Hot
Lips' , this is an extremely vigorous cultivar which grew to 4ft. x 4ft. in one season. It seems to be quite hardy, but has
not set any seed here. Plentiful, large, red flowers are displayed along red stems. There is a cultivar in the USA known
as 'Huntington' which seems to be very similar. But I have cheekily named it 'Robin's Pride'. Easy to root from cuttings,
and at the risk of blowing my own trumpet, I have to say that this is a superb shrub, flowering from May until November.
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Salvia omeiana
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An amazing salvia from China, this was collected on a plant-finding expedition by the owners of Crug Farm Plants in North
Wales. I have had this plant for only 4 weeks, and it has tripled in size. The huge leaves are green on top, but they are
an amazing violet colour on the underside. I have not seen this in flower, but the flowers are yellow, perhaps similar to
the Chinese species on page 5, though the foliage is completely different. I understand that S. omeiana thrives in cool,
cloudy conditions, as it has at Crug, and, unlike many Chinese salvias, does not react badly to wet winter conditions.
Hopefully I will be able to show a picture of the flowers later.
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Salvia tarayensis
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Also known as S. azurea ssp. mexicana, this is a really attractive summer-flowering plant from North-East Mexico. I query
the name 'tarayensis', also whilst I can see a definite resemblance to S. azurea (see page 9), I fail to see where S.
mexicana is involved. This a small plant, up to 18 inches, with pretty blue flowers.Seems to be quite hardy here, cutting
material is not forthcoming, but it does set viable seed. A bit of a mystery, but a lovely small, floriferous salvia for
the front of a border, or a rockery. It flowers intermittently from June to October.
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Salvia viscosa
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This hardy perennial is found in Israel and Lebanon, but has also naturalised in Italy! The flowers are very small, and the
plant can appear to be very insignificant. On close inspection, the flowers can be seen to contain every shade of red and
pink. I hope that Peter's photo will illustrate the beauty of the flowers. From rough, basal foliage, flowering stems will
be about 2 ft. tall. Blooming commences in June, and with regular deadheading, will continue until September. It often seeds
around...though no hybrids have been found here.
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Salvia amplifrons
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A rare species from Bolivia, this is a compact shrub 2ft. x 2ft. It can hardly be described as spectacular as the flowers
are very small, but the pure white colour is quite unusual. I have only had this salvia for one year, so far it seems happy
growing anywhere, but it is not winter-hardy. Cuttings or seeds are easy methods of propagation. The foliage is an
attractive lime-green colour.
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Salvia x jamensis
'Sierra San Antonio'
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The x jamensis cultivars are hybrids between S. greggii and S. microphylla. They were found by Dr. James Compton in 1991 in
Mexico, near the village of Jame. There are now many forms and colours of S. x jamensis, 'Sierra San Antonio' being one
of the best, with delightful peach and yellow flowers from late Spring until frost. Like the parents, this is drought-tolerant
(though water should be given in exceptionally dry periods) and reasonably frost-hardy. Growing up to 2 ft., the plant
is compact. Propagation should be from cuttings, as seed may not come true.
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Salvia x jamensis
'Red Velvet'
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Another S. x jamensis cultivar, this one has brilliant deep scarlet flowers, fading to a dusky pink. It is one of the taller
forms, and can grow up to 4 ft. It is slightly lanky in appearance, but bushiness is easily encouraged by cutting back the
longer stems in mid-Spring. Propagation should be from cuttings. I believe this cultivar was found in the beautiful garden
of Helen Dillon, in Ireland.
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Salvia x jamensis
'Moonlight Serenade'
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A bushy, vigorous cultivar, 'Moonlight Serenade' has cream flowers with a hint of pink, contained in a dark calyx. It is
quite popular in the UK. Although propagation should be from cuttings, I have found some interesting variations in colour
from seed of this plant, always worth trying a few if space permits. There is a variegated form of this cultivar named
'Moonlight Over Ashwood', which was discovered at Ashwood Nurseries near Wolverhampton. The flowers are identical but the
leaves are pale lime-green, with darker green blotches.
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Salvia pisidica
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This is a very pretty little species from Turkey, where it grows on dry limestone slopes. It needs a very well-drained soil,
and would be a good salvia to grow in a rockery. Maximum height is about 9 inches, with a spread of up to 2 ft. The grey-green
trisect leaves contrast well with the numerous flowers, which are lilac-blue with a white blotch on the lower lip.
Flowering starts in June and lasts for a month. It can be propagated by cuttings which can be slow to root, or from seed
which can be slow to germinate. Seed is probably best sown when fresh, rather than the following Spring.
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Salvia leucantha
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Very popular in the warmer parts of the USA, and Mediterranean regions, this salvia from Mexico and Central America will
reach a height of 4ft and a similar spread. The long inflorescences are covered with woolly hairs. From the purple calyces,
furry white corollas appear. The overall effect is marvellous. Flowering usually starts in late Summer, and will continue
for most of the Winter if frost-free conditions can be provided, though over-wintered cuttings may flower much earlier.
There are several cultivars, including 'Purple Velvet', an all-purple form. Two exciting introductions from South Africa
are currently being trialled. It does not set seed here, so cuttings should be taken.
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