Salvia (Sage)
at Digging Dog
Including Salvia nemorosa, Salvia microphylla, & Salvia greggii
Salvia
Sage
Thought in ancient times to perpetuate good health, an Arab proverb asks, “How shall a man die with sage in his garden?” Our Salvias are diverse perennials, shrubs or subshrubs. Many of them hail from the Mediterranean, Mexico and South America.
Drought tolerant, reliable once established, and generally pest and disease free, they combine an array of flowers and aromatic foliage in many different sizes, shapes, and hues.. Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’ 
A bee’s bliss, a gardener’s good friend, and very welcome indeed is this Salvia’s ability to grow in difficult, dry conditions. An excellent ground cover, ‘Bee’s Bliss’ bears abundant clusters of lavender-colored blossoms, which embellish its bright, dense mat of
slender-leafed, aromatic, gray-green foliage. It willingly spills over a wall, softening hard edges, and maintains a tidy look without much care.
Blooms June–August. Size: 12" high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 9. AVAILABLE JUNE 2008 Salvia Bee’s Bliss (P-0802)
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Salvia ‘El Cielo Blue’
Blue Sky Sage
Selected by Yucca Do Nursery, the interesting foliage of this upright Mexican native makes it one of our favorite Sages. Broad, tapered leaves have an unusual bluish hue on top, while undersides turn purple as they mature. Contrast this with the vivid green of the new growth, and you’re in for quite a foliar show. Well loved by hummingbirds, the small, iridescent, deep purple flowers display a splash of white in their throats.
Blooms late August–October. Size: 4' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 8. Salvia El Cielo Blue (P-0866)
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Salvia ‘Purple Majesty’
A mainstay at the back of the border, this regal Salvia is a cross between Salvia guaranitica and Salvia gesneraeflora. Rising above the textured mint-green leaves,
spikes of vibrant violet-blue blooms add glorious color all summer until frost, and are adored by hummingbirds everywhere. With its upright stance and cool shades, ‘Purple Majesty’ complements the warmer hues of Helianthus angustifolius (Pale Form) for a splendid autumn union.
Blooms June–early November. Size: 5'–6' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 7. Salvia Purple Majesty (P-0967)
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Salvia ‘Silke’s Dream’
Discovered by Art Petty of Austin, Texas, this dream Salvia cross inherits the best qualities of both its parents. Like darcyi, it features fantastically colored blooms, and like microphylla, its good-looking stance is short and compact.
Summer brings plentiful, 15 in. spikes of warm-hued, dark orange-red flowers and by fall, the round-tipped, somewhat reflective green foliage is completely blanketed by them. Renown for an easy going, stalwart and floriferous nature, ‘Silke’s Dream’ tantalizes us with its passionate display, while counterposing Salvia corrugata’s deep blue spires.
Blooms July–October. Size: 2' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 7. AVAILABLE FALL 2008 Salvia Silke’s Dream (P-1358)
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Salvia ‘Waverly’
Like a well planned composition, this Salvia blends white fuzzy flowers, blushed with the palest of pinks and predominate purple calyxes against a graceful foil of textured grayish green foliage.
Given to us by David Salmon of High Country Gardens, we planted it in front of Cotinus ‘Grace’, whose leaves repeat the deep color of ‘Santa Barbara’s calyxes.
Blooms late June–early November. Size: 3' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 8. Salvia Waverly (P-0660)
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Salvia argentea
This bold Mediterranean native serves up a remarkable portion of eye catching appeal on its almost platter-sized, soft and silky white, felted foliage. Emerging in a dramatic basal clump, new leaves are crinkled, but flatten as they grow, while their margins retain a sinuous wave. A spectacular showing of dramatic 2 to 3 ft. candelabralike stems are decorated in small, white, hooded flowers, each with a slight tinge of pink and a subtle grayish calyx.
After the bloom, leaves transmute to a pale gray-green, and when cooler weather returns, they turn silvery once again. Positively show-stopping along a dry wall, or in the herb garden with Lavender and Rosmarinus ‘Maltese White’, Salvia argentea demands well drained soil, tolerates drought, and will live longer if spent flower stalks are attentively removed.
Blooms June–July. Size: 5' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 9. Salvia argentea (P-0678)
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Salvia arizonica
Arizona Sage
A loose mound of luxuriant verdant foliage and trailing stems, this native of southern Arizona, Texas and northern Mexico thrives in the partial shade of small trees and shrubs. With a multitude of small, bright purple flowers held by smoky violet calyxes and a refreshing minty scent, Arizona Sage makes a delightful understory for Euphorbia griffithii ‘Great Dixter’.
Blooms June–July & again in September. Size: 18" high x 2' & spreading; hardy to zone 7. AVAILABLE FALL 2008 Salvia arizonica (P-0771)
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Salvia azurea ‘Nekan’
Pitcher Sage
Highly esteemed for its densely packed whorls of true sky blue flowers, this U.S. native assures a scene stealing, late season hurrah that beckons both butterflies and gardeners. Numerous slender stems stand tall while narrow, linear gray-green leaves are covered in a downy softness. Exhibiting a vigorous drought, heat and cold tolerant nature, this stalwart beauty deserves a prime position in more gardens.
Blooms July–September. Size: 3'–4' high x 2'–3' wide; hardy to zone 4. Salvia azurea Nekan (P-0162)
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Salvia cacaliaefolia
Guatemalan Blue Vine Sage
Touted some 70 years ago by British garden writer William Robinson, this exceptional, long blooming Salvia offers fuzzy gentian-blue flowers. Its small but abundant, vividly colored blooms garnish terminal racemes above a many stemmed emerald-green foundation of thick triangular leaves.
Indigenous to the mountainous regions of southern Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala, Salvia cacaliaefolia can be found growing as high as 8000 ft., its slow-to-spread, creeping roots thriving with well drained soil, regular water and high shade. A harbinger of cool, late season color, it can be positioned right up front next to Geum ‘Starker’s Magnificum’.
Blooms July–October. Size: 2'–3' high x 3'–4' wide; hardy to zone 8. Salvia cacaliaefolia (P-1322)
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Salvia clevelandii ‘Aromas’
Native to southern California’s chaparral country and perhaps the most good-looking of the shrubby sages, you can usually smell this extremely long flowering, drought tolerant cultivar before it comes into view. The pleasantly sweet and woody aroma is a grace note to its compact and lower growing, winsome habit.
Evergreen, narrow linear leaves have a pewter green tone, punctuated by a springtime flash of bright green stems. Excellent in dried arrangements, ‘Aroma’s jewel-like lavender flower whorls are enhanced with dusky mulberry-colored calyxes. Prune regularly to maintain a handsome appearance.
Blooms June–October. Size: 3' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 8. Salvia clevelandii Aromas (P-1223)
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Salvia confertiflora
With velvety, reddish purple stems, smooth, bright green new foliage that matures to a textured dark green, and fuzzy, vermilion flowers, this Brazilian native is lush and tantalizing. Wonderful cut or dried, the 6 to 10 in. long flower spikes make a bold statement in the fall border with Asters and grasses, and combine beautifully with mounding perennials.
Blooms September–November. Size: 5' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 9. Salvia confertiflora (P-0214)
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Salvia corrugata
Widely distributed in the Andes from southern Columbia to Peru, Salvia corrugata features deeply puckered, dark green foliage. While newly emerging leaves have downy, copper-colored undersides, each mature lance-shaped leaf has a sheen on top and contrasting grayish tomentose below. Light gray-green, fuzzy stems are crowned with showy racemes of deep blue flowers held by violet calyxes. This distinctive, upright Salvia makes a great specimen for the mixed border.
Blooms August–October. Size: 3-1/2'–5' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 9. Salvia corrugata (P-0965)
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Salvia forsskaolii
The large, almost triangular leaves of this Bulgarian native make a striking base for the long spires of white-streaked, violet-blue blooms. Robust flower stems arch gracefully above the basal foliage, which lies close to the ground. Accent the beautiful foliage and position midborder in well drained soils with fine textured perennials and grasses like Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’.
Blooms June–September. Size: 2' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 6. Salvia forsskaolii (P-0215)
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Salvia greggii ‘Wild Thing’
Plant aficionado Tom Peace helped establish this lavishly hued, west Texan’s notoriety. Quick to grow, full of vigor and more tolerant of cold, damp winters than most other greggii species, ‘Wild Thing’s leafy, good-looking form presents lustrous green foliage and droves of vivid cherry-pink flowers with contrasting wine-colored calyxes. Plant next to Agastache ‘Apricot
Sunrise’ and Verbascum ‘Sixteen Candles’ for a wild, long blooming
vignette.
Blooms June–September. Size: 3' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 6. Salvia greggii Wild Thing (P-1224)
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Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Black and Blue Guarani Sage
An absolute favorite of our hummingbirds, this eye catching Salvia offers abundant, deep cobalt blue, tubular blooms and nearly black calyxes on 15 in. terminal flowering spikes all summer long. More compact than many of the guaranitica species, ‘Black and Blue’ provides complementary color for the shining blooms of Crocosmia ‘Star of the East’.
Blooms mid-July–October. Size: 3-1/2' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 7. Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue (p-0772)
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Salvia guaranitica ‘Blue Ensign’
Pennantlike spikes of large, Cambridge blue, tubular flowers and bright green calyxes proudly rise above the spade-shaped leaves, which cloak ‘Blue Ensign’s upright, but freely branching stance. A drift mid-border makes a compelling statement with the yellow-orange coloring of Euphorbia ‘Fern Cottage’s fall foliage nearby.
Blooms mid-July–October. Size: 3-1/2'–4' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 7. Salvia guaranitica Blue Ensign (p-1138)
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Salvia holwayi
Hailing from the cool highlands of Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico, this vigorous Salvia volunteers hundreds of brilliant cardinal red, whorled blossoms in late fall. A yellow-green cast infuses young growth while mature leaves are darker green. Marked by light green grooves, the numerous, wine-infused lax stems become obscured by prominently veined triangular leaves, which taper to pronounced narrow tips.
Paying homage to Edward Holway, an American mycologist and plant collector who traveled to Mexico in the early 1900s, Salvia holwayi blooms all winter long in warmer areas, gracing its lush and bushy good-sized mass with much appreciated color and hummingbird food.
Grateful for a well drained, humus rich spot and a hard cut after blooming, it creates a verdant backdrop for the mixed border, an excellent conservatory plant in colder climates and a splendid long lasting cut flower when they’re aren’t many others around.
Blooms October–December. Size: 4' high x 4'–6' wide; hardy to zone 9. Salvia holwayi (P-1345)
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Salvia involucrata ‘Hidalgo’
Roseleaf Sage
Large and rounded, dusky magenta buds cluster at stem tips and open into brilliant pink, fuzzy tubular flowers toned down by deep purple calyxes. Handsome, dark green nearly heart-shaped leaves are arranged in pairs and complement red petioles on strong straight stalks.
Revered by hummingbirds, this bushy Salvia makes a perfect addition to the meadow garden, and along with Salvia ‘Nekan’ and Aster ‘Ochtendgloren’ augments a late season blend of blue and pink. Zone 8/9.
Blooms August–mid-October. Size: 4' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 9. Salvia involucrata Hidalgo (P-0296)
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Salvia involucrata ‘Mulberry Jam’
Mulberry Jam Roseleaf Sage
A selection from Betsy Clebsch’s garden, ‘Mulberry Jam’ is smaller and more upright than the species. Large, rounded, dusky magenta buds open into vivid, fuzzy pink, tubular flowers nicely toned down by deep purple calyxes. Revered by hummingbirds, this bushlike Salvia makes
a perfect addition to the meadow garden with Salvia ‘Nekan’ and Aster ‘Ochtendgloren’ for a blend of late season pinks.
Blooms June–mid-October. Size: 4' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 8. Salvia involucrata Mulberry Jam (P-0713)
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Salvia leucantha x elegans ‘Anthony Parker’
Anthony Parker Bush Sage
Frances Parker of South Carolina discovered this unlikely cross and named it for her grandson. Blessed with attributes from both parents, ‘Anthony Parker’ features extraordinary, nearly 2 ft. long spires of midnight purple-black, leucantha-like flowers topping attractive leaves and young downy white stems. The broad-based, grayish green foliage tapers to a point, and displays a venation similar to Salvia elegans.
Gracing an herbaceous border or even an arrangement, this robust Salvia’s dark flowers will set Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’ aglow.
Blooms August–October. Size: 3'–4' high x 4' wide; hardy to zone 9. Salvia leucantha x elegans Anthony Parker (P-1140)
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Salvia melissodora (Yucca Do Form)
Grape-scented Sage
The name of this charming Sage, long used by the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico for medicinal purposes, comes from the Greek words meaning fragrant and honeybee. Bees, moths, butterflies and hummingbirds alike are attracted to the sumptuous, nectar-laden panicles of pleasantly scented, periwinkle flowers and fuzzy, sable-colored calyxes.
Elegant leaves with downy silver undersides embellish its graceful upright presence.
Blooms May–October. Size: 5'–6' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 9. Salvia melissodora (Yucca Do Form) (P-0774)
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Salvia mexicana ‘Limelight’
Whorls of densely packed, chartreuse terminal buds on strong upright stems provide exciting contrast to the lush green color of ‘Limelight’s foliage. In flower, this cultivar is sure to take center stage as deep bluish purple blooms peek out from the vibrant yellow-green calyxes. Cut back each season to encourage new growth at the base and to maintain a pleasing shape.
Blooms August–early November. Size: 6' high x 6' wide; hardy to zone 8. AVAILABLE APRIL 2008
Salvia mexicana Limelight (p-0608)
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Salvia microphylla ‘Hoja Grande’
Painted in pretty lipstick shades of cherry-red and magenta, slender whorled flower spikes festoon this shrubby evergreen Salvia. Warm, rosy brown calyxes and attractive ripple-edged green leaves heighten the showy long lasting blooms.
Introduced by Yucca-Do Nursery, the amenable ‘Hoja Grande’ hails from Mexico’s Nuevo Leon, and in our garden jazzes up neighboring Phlomis russeliana, while easily tolerating dry conditions whether the weather’s hot or cool.
Blooms May–June & September–October. Size: 3'–4' high x 3'–4' wide; hardy to zone 7. Salvia microphylla Hoja Grande (P-1421)
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Salvia microphylla ‘San Carlos Festival’
This captivating Salvia celebrates a festival of color! Splashed with highly saturated magentas and rich ruby throats, the dazzling flowers unfurl from sable-colored calyxes by the hundreds, beginning in spring and extending until fall.
Discovered in Tamaulipas, Mexico, ‘San Carlos Festival’ is well-loved for its extraordinary floral abundance and its attractive compact form, each medium green leaf emphasizing a textured surface, serrated undulating margins and a somewhat triangular shape that broadcasts bronzy tones come winter.
Blooms May–November. Size: 2' high x 2-1/2'–3' wide; hardy to zone 7. Salvia microphylla San Carlos Festival (p-1361)
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Salvia microphylla ‘Wild Watermelon’
“Exuberant” best describes the way extra large, deep watermelon-pink flowers dress up this robust, relatively cold resistant Salvia.
Collected by Don Mahoney at 7000 ft. on Mexico’s Mt. Cerro Potosi, ‘Wild Watermelon’ not only boasts boisterously colored blooms with white-marked throats but neat good-looking foliage and a hardy crown that spreads by layering itself. Most abundant in spring and fall and only sporadically over the summer, its high-spirited floral hues invite a glance either spotlighted in a favorite pot, or backed by white blooming Cistus in the mixed border. Zone 6/7.
Blooms May–June & again in September–October. Size: 3'–4' high x 4' wide; hardy to zone 7. Salvia microphylla Wild Watermelon (p-1360)
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Salvia microphylla x greggii ‘Red Velvet’
Big, brilliant and red, these lavishly colored flowers are double the size of any other microphylla or greggii. Blooming spikes and calyxes the color of dark chocolate dramatically present the plush-as-velvet showing, while a handsome, full bush of glossy, somewhat rounded rich green foliage supports it.
Introduced by Texas’s Yucca-Do Nursery and Scott Ogden, ‘Red Velvet’ thrives in warm, dry climates, can endure humidity and assures a vivacious presence, especially when partnered with Penstemon Chiapas sp.
Blooms June–October. Size: 4' high x 4' wide; hardy to zone 7. Salvia microphylla x greggii Red Velvet (p-1359)
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Salvia nemorosa ‘Amethyst’
With the violet-blue tones of the blossoms, and the similar but rosier shades of the enduring calyxes and prominent streaks that mark the leafy upright flower stems, this richly colored Salvia is a jewel. With wavy-edged foliage, this long bloomer exhibits a handsome fullness. Softening the edge of our
pathway in the company of Origanum ‘Ed Carmine’, a violet theme is created, while the
addition of Kniphofia ‘Border Ballet’ adds a lively splash of melon to the picture.
Blooms early June–September. Size: 2-1/2' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 5. Salvia nemorosa Amethyst (P-0813)
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Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’
Unique, blackish magenta tones darken the lustrous flower stems of this superb new cultivar. Set against these upright and lengthy, dark stalks, the violet blossoms appear dazzling, and will bloom well into fall with attentive dead-heading.
A chance seedling found in a German nursery, ‘Caradonna’s tidy base of textured green foliage and plum-hued blooms impart harmonious accents to Sedum ‘Matrona’s smoky colors.
Blooms June–early October. Size: 2'–2-1/2' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 4. Salvia nemorosa Caradonna (P-1133)
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Salvia nemorosa ‘Plumosa’
Distinguished by its unique, Astilbe-like plumes, this floriferous, recently rediscovered Salvia delivers eye catching appeal to the edge of the border. With a chenille velvet texture, the dusky mulberry-purple flowers top aromatic, lance-shaped foliage, and look outstanding in arrangements, fresh or dried. ‘Plumosa’s compact, bushy form and vivid, dense blooms are a good match for Veronica ‘Royal Candles’ and Achillea ‘Marmalade’.
Blooms July–September. Size: 18" high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 4. Salvia nemorosa Plumosa (P-1135)
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Salvia nemorosa ‘Rosenwein’
German for ‘Rose Wine’, let this Salvia bathe your garden with bright rose-hued flowers. Adorning a low mound of tidy green foliage, the upright leafy spikes are offset by prominent, dark earthy pink calyxes and buds of the same shade. Position in the front of the border with Geranium ‘Mavis Simpson’ and Kniphofia ‘Safranvogel’ for an intoxicating display.
Blooms June–August. Size: 2' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5. Salvia nemorosa Rosenwein (P-0966)
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Salvia nubicola
Himalayan Yellow Sage
“Nubicola” means “dweller among the clouds,” and the name proclaims its hardiness. The robust, erect stems of this bushy Himalayan native support a wealth of yellow-flowered spires, each bloom warmed by tiny maroon spots and held by bright green calyxes, along with a plenitude of large, arrow-shaped leaves. For an engaging late summer vignette, highlight its vigor by planting with Aster ‘Lady in Black’, Nepeta parnassica and Aconitum ‘Arendsii’.
Blooms mid-August–October. Size: 4'–5' high x 3-1/2' wide; hardy to zone 5. Salvia nubicola (P-0865)
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Salvia pratensis ‘Swan Lake’
After years of breeding, Jelitto Seeds has just recently introduced this pure white Salvia. Rich green
foliage with a wrinkled texture and ruffled margins forms a lush, leafy mound beneath the upstanding snowy spikes. Each delicate, luminous flower nestles in a calyx on a tiny pedestal of small green bracts.
Showy ‘Swan Lake’s species name translates as “growing in meadows,” referring
to its sunny native European haunts. A natural for relaxed garden settings amid grasses, it easily accepts varied conditions, especially cold temperatures. Zone 3/4.
Blooms June–August. Size: 20" high x 12" wide; hardy to zone 4. Salvia pratensis Swan Lake (P-1283)
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Salvia reptans
Originally from the high mountains in Mexico, this plant comes to us from Jim Lockman of Oakland, California. It has a soft character with delicate blue flowers and fine textured, light green, spidery leaves, which grow on basal stems. You can cut it back for a second bloom before it disappears in winter. Salvia reptans is perfect in drifts, as an accent in the rockery, or contrasted with Rudbeckia ‘Swiss Gold’.
Blooms August–September. Size: 15" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 7. AVAILABLE FALL 2008 Salvia reptans (P-0131)
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Salvia sclarea ‘Vatican White’
Clary Sage
This nobly architectural Sage has been grown in almost every botanical sanctuary throughout human history. The catalog of its uses is extensive: a flavoring for wines and liqueurs; an oil for perfumes, potpourri and incense (thus becoming known as ‘Vatican White’); while medicinally, it is reputed to ease stomach ailments and stop the aging process!
This choice white cultivar, however, is not that easy to find, and we cultivate it for its stately presence in the border. Large, gray-green leaves—lance-shaped and leathery—remain attractive throughout the season. Each stalwart stem is topped with widely branching panicles of pure white blossoms and big, brilliant, whorled white bracts, which convey a floral effect from May to September.
Combined with the cool hues of Nepeta ‘Pool Bank’ and Euphorbia ‘Red Wing’s warmth, ‘Vatican White’ adds a bright element to an arresting composition. Requiring little water or attention, this vigorous species asks only for a superbly drained site.
Blooms June–July. Size: 2-1/2' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 4. Salvia sclarea Vatican White (p-1136)
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Salvia semiatrata
Intricate bicolored flowers, a lovely blend of lilac-colored upper petals and midnight purple lower lips, are held by muted pink calyxes against a foil of handsome, dark green, textured foliage. Perfect for the rocky border or atop a wall where its detail can be enjoyed at eye level, this small-leafed hardy Mexican native combines well with Phygelius
and Geranium ‘Buxton’s Variety’ and its long lasting blooms make an excellent addition to any flower arrangement.
Blooms June–October. Size: 3' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 8. Salvia semiatrata (P-0712)
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Salvia sinaloensis
Sinaloa Blue Sage
Indigenous to the Mexican province Sinaloa, this compact bushy Salvia displays tantalizing color. Low growing stems initially trail on the ground, concealed by dark green, textured leaves infused with plum-purple hues, and bronze-tinted new growth. Well above the narrow foliage, deep blue, airy,
upright spikes feature spaced whorls of sable calyxes and vivid flowers marked with two subtle white lines on each lower lip.
A charmer for the border’s edge, a stone wall or the rock garden, Salvia sinaloensis spreads by underground rhizomes, disappears in the winter, and appreciates well drained soil.
Blooms June–October. Size: 6"–10" high x 15"–18" wide; hardy to zone 8. AVAILABLE SUMMER 2008 Salvia sinaloensis (P-1134)
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Salvia urica
Blue Bush Sage
Hailing from the warm, moist mountainous haunts of Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, this tender, yet irresistible Salvia produces inch long, whorled deep blue-violet flowers on short stalks above a verdurous semi-upright mass. Lax stems carry velvety soft, dark green textured leaves that are deltoid in shape and saw-toothed along the margins. Tended by green calyxes, the long blooming flowers feature unusual incurved lower lips with light undersides and provide a cool-colored late season fanfare, complementing roses and pink or white blooming Asters.
A topnotch container specimen, Blue Bush Sage needs to be protected when temperatures drop to 30°. Zone 9/10.
Blooms August–November. Size: 2'–3' high x 2'–3' wide; hardy to zone 10. Salvia urica (P-1480)
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Salvia vanhoutii (Burgundy Form)
Van Houtt's Brazilian Sage
This showy Salvia makes a dazzling container plant. The large, layered, burgundy buds have pointed sepals and open into numerous dark carmine-colored flowers with wine-red calyxes. Intriguing raised red ridges run horizontally around the stems at regular intervals like rungs on a ladder, connecting the reddish leaf petioles of each pair of opposite leaves.
Be sure to provide winter protection, as Salvia vanhoutii is hardy only in warmer climates.
Blooms July–October. Size: 4' high x 4' wide; hardy to zone 9. Salvia vanhoutii (Burgundy Form) (P-0775)
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Salvia vanhoutii ex. ‘Paul’
We have Salvia enthusiast Barbara Smith to thank for this uniquely colored vanhoutii, she named after her son. Tall whorled spikes showcase nearly 3 in. long tubular flowers and calyxes in antique-hushed shades of heliotrope. An openly branched habit attired with light green leaves supports the enticing display and after the flowers have faded, persistent calyxes provide further appeal. In spite of being tender, this spectacular Salvia will turn quite a few heads and is definitely worth the extra effort needed to safeguard it from the cold.
Blooms July–October. Size: 4' high x 4' wide; hardy to zone 9. Salvia vanhoutii ex. Paul (p-1225)
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Salvia verticillata ‘Purple Rain’
When Virgil wrote “Steep thyself in a bowl of summertime,” he may well have been inspired by this Salvia. Petals of deep purple gather like raindrops in tiered pools to form these whorled flowers. Broad, opposite, almost thistlelike triangular leaves provide a solid base for the tall, branching stems.
Blooms June–September. Size: 2' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 6.
Salvia verticillata Purple Rain (P-0132)
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Salvia x ‘Allen Chickering’
Undaunted by deer and drought, this Salvia leucophylla and Salvia clevelandii progeny is a California native originating at Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens. Brew a delicious tea from its spicy-scented, gray-green leaves and delight in the hummingbirds, bees and butterflies drawn to its abundance of tubular, deep lavender blooms arranged in evenly spaced, ball-like clusters. With a dense, shrubby profile, this good-looking, reliable Sage will grow quickly in a sunny, well drained locale. Zone 7/8.
Blooms June–August. Size: 3' high x 3'–4' wide; hardy to zone 8. Salvia x Allen Chickering (p-0336)
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Salvia x jamensis ‘Pat Vlasto’
Pat Vlasto Autumn Sage
One of the toughest cultivars of the species, this radiant long blooming Sage can handle a variety of growing conditions. Against a fine textured background of small, glossy green leaves, the watermelon-colored flowers are offset by red-hued stems and sable-colored calyxes. For echoes of warm color, pair ‘Pat Vlasto’ with Phygelius ‘African Queen’.
Blooms June–mid-October. Size: 3' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 8. Salvia x jamensis Pat Vlasto (P-1107)
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Further reading about Salvia:The Gardener’s Guide to Growing Salvias by John Sutton The New Book of Salvias Sages for Every Garden by Betsy Clebsch |
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