Salvia Gallery Page 17 Salvia penstemonoides This Salvia is only found in three locations in Texas, and for a while was thought to be extinct. Recently it has acquired popularity in the USA, but is rarely seen in the UK. It is a very good plant, with large, deep red, almost purple, flowers. The foliage closely resembles that of a Penstemon. In the UK, it can react badly to the climate and is prone to mildew. If grown in a sunny, well-drained spot, such as a raised border, it will flower well from August until frost. Up to 3 ft. tall here, it is supposed to be fairly hardy, but heavy winter rains may cause it to rot. This Salvia can be propagated fom seed, or from slow-rooting cuttings. Salvia 'Vicki Romo' This is a very attractive hybrid, probably S. apiana x S. clevelandii, with possibly a bit of S. leucophylla as well! It was found in the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. The attractive lilac-blue flowers are in tight whorls on 3-4 ft. stems. Flowering is from late Spring until Autumn. Unfortunately, it is currently not available in the UK. If it were, it would be unlikely to flower here, like many Californian Salvias, though it would certainly be worth a try, as S. apiana does flower here occasionally. If it sets seeds, they would probably not come true. Salvia fulgens 'El Azufe' This is a form of the very variable Salvia fulgens (see page 6) from a nursery in Holland. It was collected in Mexico. This is a more compact form, and has grown to 3ft. The flowers are slightly smaller than the those of the normal species, and a lighter colour, though still hairy. It has been flowering here since May, and still has plenty of buds in late September. It seems to require even more water than the usual S. fulgens, and will droop in hot sunshine, even though a sunny spot is advisable. Propagation is from cuttings. Hardiness has not been tested here, but over-wintered cuttings will produce earlier-flowering plants. Salvia madrensis From Mexico, this is known as forsythia sage in the USA, no doubt because of the rich yellow-coloured flowers. This is perhaps the most spectacular of the few Salvias with true yellow inflorescences. In warmer climates, this will flower from late August onwards, but in the UK, flowering will only begin in mid-October, just in time to be burnt by the first frost! By then, the plant is too big...up to 7 ft. tall...to take under glass. However, it is a great foliage plant. The large, square stems are deeply ridged at regular intervals, and the lush foliage is also an attraction. Frost-tender here, propagation is from cuttings. Full sun and regular watering are essential. Lepechinia bella Though this is not a Salvia, it is a close relative in the Labiatae family of plants. Because of its particular beauty, I wanted to include the plant on this site. From Bolivia, it requires the same conditions as many Salvias from that area, i.e. full/part sun and good drainage. The true blue flowers appear in August and last for 2 months. For me, it has grown to 3 ft. but I suspect it can grow much taller. It is a compact plant, with strongly-scented foliage. It might prove to be hardy here, as is Lepechinia hastata. It sets lots of seeds, which germinate erratically. Slow-rooting cuttings can also be taken. It is best kept on the dry side in Winter. Deserves to be more well-known. Salvia desoleana This Salvia is found on the island of Sardinia. Quite similar to other European and Middle-Eastern species, this has large, pale green leaves which form a considerable clump. The foliage is strongly-scented, pleasant if somewhat pungent. Tall flower spikes appear in spring, and dead-heading will encourage more flowers later in the year. The large flowers are creamy-white with a hint of blue. It can grow to 4 ft. x 4 ft. and should prove to be quite hardy in the UK, though seeds are freely produced. A sunny spot should be ideal. Salvia species from Verona This striking Salvia was found a few years ago growing by a roadside just outside the wonderful Italian city of Verona. A few seeds were captured just before the roadside clearing vehicles destroyed all living plants. At first glance, it seems that this Salvia is a form of S. pratensis, which is endemic thoughout Europe. Whatever it is (and I would agree that it is a form of S. pratensis), it has royal blue flowers, and in California it has flowered for months, unlike most European forms which have a short flowering period in early Summer. Seeds appear to come true. Possibly one of the best forms of S. pratensis? Salvia muirii This is the South African Salvia which has sometimes been confused with Salvia dentata on page 1. This is a more compact, shrubby plant, growing to 2 ft. x 2ft. Flowering will occur throughout the Summer months, if a warm, sunny, and relatively dry environment can be provided. The flowers are a vivid shade of blue, with white markings. The foliage is strongly aromatic. It is unlikely to be hardy in the UK, except in dry Winters. Seed can usually be found. Salvia aethiopis Widely distributed in Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, this Salvia has also become naturalised in many areas of the USA, where it has been called "Tumbleweed". This is a hardy sage, but if it flowers in its second year, it will often die, and can be considered to be a biennial plant. Like S. argentea, it is the foliage which is the most interesting part of the plant. The huge rosette has grey-green leaves up to 1 ft. in length. The long-flowering stems have many small white flowers with a yellow lip, in early Summer, but these are somewhat insignificant. But...beware of slugs and snails, who will quickly demolish the whole plant! Totally hardy here. Salvia bracteata This is a very rare species from Turkey and neighbouring countries. I have not grown this Salvia here, but I now have a few seeds and look forward to the challenge of growing yet another "difficult species". As you can see, the flowers are a wonderful deep pink colour, with lots of markings. In California, Ginny Hunt had some superb plants, growing in pots, presumably in a dry environment. The flowers were quite wonderful, on a reasonably compact plant. It will probably flower for most of the Summer, given a relatively dry environment. It will set seed, though germination might be erratic, like so many of the Salvias from this part of the world. Salvia 'Purple Majesty' This is supposed to be a hybrid of S. guaranitica x S. gesneriiflora. The foliage certainly resembles that of S. guaranitica. The flowers are also very similar to those of S. 'Black Knight' and S. 'Jean's Purple Passion', (see pages 3 and 15), but the last two mentioned are supposed to have S. splendens as a parent. S. 'Purple Majesty' is becoming more well-known in the UK, but has proved difficult to over-winter. Cuttings should be taken earlier than those of other species, and should be kept dry in the Winter months. A superb Salvia, which will rapidly grow to 6 ft. The deep purple flowers are awesome. Salvia repens This is a reliably hardy perennial species from South Africa. Hardly spectacular, but the plentiful pale blue flowers make this a most attractive, if somewhat sprawling, Salvia. It is inclined to spread via underground rhizomes, but it is containable. This is a variable species with pink and white forms, sometimes confused with S. aurita and S. disermas which it has been known to hybridise with. The shape of the foliage varies also. This species has important medicinal properties in its native habitat. To summarise, this is a Salvia for the collector, and really good for a rock garden.

Click below to contact me: