Salvia Gallery
Page 13
Salvia roemeriana
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From Mexico and the Southern states of the USA, Salvia roemeriana is a delightful small salvia. (Close relatives are S.
henryii and S. davidsonii, which to my amateur eyes are inferior plants.) There are bright red flowers all Summer-long,
and this plant looks stunning in a large container...perhaps 3 plants. In late Summer, this salvia might be cleistogamic,
but regular dead-heading, and a gentle feed should prevent this. Growth is up to 1 ft. and the plant is compact. It sets
plenty of seeds, and is best grown as an annual in the UK.
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Salvia microphylla 'Maroon'
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This has proved to be an impossible colour to photograph correctly! The real colour is a deep maroon, touching on purple.
This is one of my cultivars, and I stupidly did not record which plant I took the seed from! As I have about 20-30
greggii/x jamensis/microphylla salvias, any cross could have occurred. But this one is marvellous, a unique colour,
though a bit shy to flower early in the season. Visitors to my garden in late Summer last year were thrilled with
this cultivar. Sorry that I cannot be more informative. If you have several greggiis etc., do sow some seed, you
never know what might happen....see 'Robin's Pride'. , page 10, seed from 'Hot Lips'.
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Salvia transsylvanica
(syn. S baumgartenii.)
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This is a superb hardy salvia from Romania, which is becoming more widely-known in the UK, as an excellent plant for a
herbaceous border. Growing to 3ft. x 3ft., long stems of deep blue/violet flowers will appear all Summer long. A sunny
spot is essential for good flowering. It will be cut back by frost, but will re-appear in Spring, but look out for slugs
and snails which will devastate new growth. It sets plentiful amounts of seed.
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Salvia guaranitica (seedling)
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An interesting plant! I sowed some seed of S. patens 'Guanajuato' last year, and this was one of the results! Certainly
not a patens, though I never collected any seed from any of my guaraniticas last year...I always propagate from cuttings.
Yet, this is obviously a guaranitica, but so vigorous and flowering in early June!!! This has the makings of a superb salvia.
Similar to S. guaranitica 'Blue Enigma', green calyces also, but flowering commences in July, on 5 ft tall plants. It
seems to be fairly hardy, and has not set seed.
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Salvia rypara
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A slightly weedy salvia from Argentina and Bolivia. This is often confused with S. riparia and S. misella. This is hardly a
garden-worthy plant, more of a collector's item. The pale blue flowers are tiny and insignificant, and this perennial salvia
seeds all over the place. Will grow rapidly to 2 or 3 ft.. and will subsequently drop 1,000 seeds. Many thanks to Yoke
van der Meer for the picture, as I refuse to grow this plant, which can only give salvias a bad name!
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Salvia 'Silkes Dream'
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This new introduction is a hybrid of S. darcyi and S. microphylla, and should become very popular. The deep orange flowers
are larger than most microphyllas, and are on stems which can be 2ft. in length. Inclined to sprawl, it looks great in a
raised bed. The foliage is not at all sticky like that of S. darcyi. It does not seem to be as hardy as its parents, so
cuttings should be taken, as seed is unlikely to come true. It does resemble S. microphylla rather more than S. darcyi.
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Salvia species from China
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I bought this salvia with the understanding that this was the real, and very elusive Salvia hians. Well, it is not!!!
It would seem that it is related to S. dolichantha and S. przewalskii. A much smaller plant than the above-mentioned,
it is inclined to flower more frequently and for a longer period. It has interesting red veins in the foliage. A really
nice plant, I wish I could have a positive identification, but as I think I mentioned previously, this lot are promiscuous!
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Salvia hians (probably)
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Salvia hians, a beautiful but elusive Asian species, has been unbelievably difficult to locate. Seeds offered as S.
hians have turned out to be S. forskaohlei, which is from a different continent. It is possible that this picture might
be the real S. hians. The white markings on the lower lip might be important.
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Salvia meyeri
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This is a hardy species from Argentina. A large plant 5ft. x 5ft. which has masses of large, light blue flowers with white
markings on the lower lip. There is also a form with pure blue flowers. Flowering starts in late June, and will last until
frost, when the plant will appear to have died. However, it will resprout in Spring. To encourage flowering, S. meyeri
should be dead-headed. Easily rooted from cuttings, many seeds can also be collected. It seems to prefer a sunny spot,
but regular watering is essential in dry periods. The correct name of this species may be Salvia rhinosina, this is still under investigation.
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Salvia scabra
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This salvia comes from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. This is a neat, compact plant with a height and spread of
about 1ft. It is in bloom from June until frost, and the long flowers are a lovely shade of lilac/pink, with a blue tinge.
The attractive foliage is serrated. It is supposed to be quite hardy, but I have lost plants that were left outside in
Winter. Luckily, it sets seed, and can be treated as an annual. A clump of these at the front of a border looks most
attractive. I imagine three plants would look good in a container.
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Salvia nemorosa 'Plumosa'
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An unusual cultivar of S. nemorosa, which is quite distinct from other cultivars. This has large, wide spikes of tiny flowers
held in pink/purple bracts. Very striking for a couple of months in Summer. It is rather straggly, and some support is
advisable. It will grow to about 2 ft. and should be hardy. It does not set seed here, but cuttings can be taken in Spring.
This form originated in Holland. In spite of its odd shape, this did win an Award of Garden Merit in 1996.
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Salvia digitaloides
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From China, this is a hardy, perennial species. The huge, basal leaves are an early indication that this is a splendid
salvia. Long, curved stems arise in Summer which have several whorls of pale yellow flowers, with purple spots on the
lower lip. Regular watering is needed in Summer, but good drainage is essential in Winter. Seed can be collected, which,
like those of many Chinese species, can be slow to germinate.
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