Salvia discolor

A most unusual species from Peru, this is a lax plant ideally suited to hanging baskets, as it is best seen from below to appreciate its beauty. (Although the famous botanist Christopher Lloyd refers to this salvia as 'A flopping oddity'!) The foliage is silvery-green, and smells distinctly of blackcurrant. The stems are very sticky, and the flowers are deep violet...almost black, with a light green calyx. A rather brittle salvia, it is best sheltered from high winds. Killed at the mention of frost, it must be propagated from cuttings, as it does not set seed here. Try it in a basket with a lilac-coloured verbena, a great combination!