Salvia Gallery
Page 33
Salvia eigii
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Rarely found in the wild, Salvia eigii originates in Northern Israel. It was named after the botanist, Alexander Eig. It is a hardy perennial plant,
but well-drained soil is essential for survival in the winter. It is a spring bloomer, and starts to flower in April for about 6 weeks. Seed is plentiful,
and plants should flower in the 2nd year. With a height of about 4 ft., it is a handsome plant for a cottage garden, and likes a sunny situation.
It is much-liked by slugs and snails, so protection must be provided around the new growth.
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Salvia pubescens
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Not to be confused with Salvia rubescens, this Salvia is found in the Oaxaca region of Mexico. It has not previously been in cultivation in
Europe. It is closely related to S. sessei and S. regla. It can grow up to 12 ft. tall, and the red flowers are extremely large. The base is very
woody. Its hardiness is not known, but it is unlikely to tolerate much frost. I have a couple of small seedlings, and hope that S. pubescens will
be easier to grow than S. sessei here. Photograph courtesy of Christian Froissart.
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Salvia procurrens (flowers)
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This Salvia is found in large areas of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, where it is considered to be an invasive species. I have only had this
Salvia for a short time, and already, there are long runners, which will root rapidly, given a chance. The long, flowering stems have whorls of
about 6 very attractive flowers, every few inches. I would imagine its hardiness to be borderline. I have been told that it is happy in full sun
or partial shade. It flowers erratically throughout the summer.
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Salvia procurrens (foliage)
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This a picture of the foliage of S. procurrens, the flowering stems are creeping away from the plant. The leaves are heart-shaped, and have some
resemblance to Chinese Salvias. I will be looking for seed later, hopefully there will be some, though cuttings should root very quickly. It would
be interesting to place this Salvia close to S. scutellarioides, just to see which grows faster.
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Salvia Sp.4640
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I was given some seeds of this yet unidentified Salvia 2 years ago. The seeds were collected in Mexico. Only one seed germinated, and the plant
grew slowly, and has been a bit scraggy. A few weeks ago I noticed a few flower buds, and now, in May 2007, the flowers are open. Very similar to
other species, but a vibrant orange-red colour. It is only 18 inches tall, and would be a nice plant if it were more tidy.
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Salvia inconspicua
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Another Mexican Salvia which has recently been discovered. Not a spectacular Salvia, but the name "inconspicua" seems a bit harsh! This plant reached
a height of over 12 ft in just 6 months, and is hardly inconspicuous! and has branched inflorescences. These are smothered with small
blue and white flowers, from late Autumn onwards. Unlikely to be hardy in
the UK, and it is not known if it will set seed here. Picture
courtesy of Kathe Navarez from Cabrillo College.
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Salvia fulgens
(variegated form)
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Salvia fulgens was shown on page 6, and another form on page 17. I was recently given a few seeds, from an expedition to Mexico, from Salvia fulgens,
found on the slopes of Mount Popocatepetl. So far, 2 of the seedlings look very much like the true species, but I am intrigued by the variegation on
this seedling. I had thought, and it is still possible, that a virus had caused this, but the plant is growing away fast, and shows no sign of
reverting to plain green. I will take more pictures when the plant is larger.
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Salvia pratensis 'Indigo'
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Two forms of the variable Salvia pratensis were shown on pages 8 and 27. This is a larger plant than many of the S. pratensis cultivars, and the
wiry stems might need some support. It will grow up to 4 ft. when in flower. The flowers are a deep blue, with a hint of violet. It also flowers
for a much longer period than some of the others, and was given an Award of Garden Merit in 1996. Totally hardy, propagation is best by division,
as seeds may not come true.
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Salvia davidsonii
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This is closely related to Salvia roemeriana, which was shown on page 13. It is also related to Salvia henryi, yet to be shown on this site.
Salvia davidsonii is a tender perennial, best grown as an annual from seed. It is found in Arizona and New Mexico. It will grow in the same
conditions as S. roemeriana. It is however, not so compact, and gets slightly untidy. The flowers have a hint of pink in them. It will grow
to approximately 1 ft. Photo courtesy of Annette Wright.
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Salvia jurisicii 'Pink Form'
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The more well-known pale blue form of S. jurisicii is shown on page 26. This pink form is most attractive, as is a white form. I have been
finding it difficult to over-winter S. jurisicii unless it is grown in a raised bed, with superb drainage. Seeds are plentiful, but to ensure
that the plants will have pink or white flowers, it is advisable to propagate by cuttings.
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Salvia eizi-matudae
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This rare Salvia was recently found in the state of Chiapas, in Southern Mexico. As I only have a small seedling, I cannot say much about
this plant. The photo would indicate that it is rather beautiful, and the flowers seem quite large. The magenta colour is very appealing.
This used to known as Salvia matudae, and the eizi was added to avoid confusion with the Japanese Salvia matsudae. I would suggest that this
will be late Autumn or Winter-flowering. Photo courtesy of Christian Froissart.
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Salvia ombrophila
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This Salvia is found in the Rio de Janeiro area of Brazil. It is a very tender plant, and will flower under glass in late winter.
My plant is 2 ft. tall, but I suspect it can be much larger. The flowers are small, but furry, and a nice shade of pink and white,
though the buds are purple. It seems to be very thirsty plant, and it likes a sunny spot. Propagation would normally be from cuttings,
but I think a few seeds may form. The leaves are slightly aromatic.
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Salvias from Argentina
These two pictures were kindly sent to me by Professor Rolando Uria from the University of Buenos Aires. They were found in the Salta region of
Northern Argentina, near the Yungas rainforest. They are yet to be identified, though one might be Salvia calolophos. They could even be forms of
S. meyeri and S. stachydifolia, it is very difficult to tell from pictures of flowers.
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