About

Salvia 'Black and Blue' is a named cultivar in the Salvia genus (family Lamiaceae), valued for its summer flowering display from June to September. It sits within a large group of sages that occurs across the Old World and the Americas. Gardeners grow it for a reliable period of interest through the warmer months. Planting and pruning decisions should follow standard Salvia practice to extend flowering and maintain vigour.

About the genus

Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the sage family Lamiaceae, with just under 1,000 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. Within the Lamiaceae, Salvia is part of the tribe Mentheae within the subfamily Nepetoideae. One of several genera commonly referred to as sage, it includes two widely used herbs, Salvia officinalis and Salvia rosmarinus.

Wikipedia contributors, "Salvia", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Salvia

In the garden

Salvia 'Black and Blue' belongs to the genus Salvia in the Lamiaceae, a group that includes nearly a thousand species found across the Old World and the Americas. As a named cultivar, it shares the wider genus’s horticultural heritage while offering a defined season of bloom: expect flowers from June to September in UK conditions. For cultivation, treat it as you would other garden Salvias: give it a position with good light and a free-draining soil to avoid prolonged wet at the roots. A sheltered location reduces winter wet and wind exposure; prune or cut back growth after flowering to encourage fresh shoots and a tidy outline the following season. Feed lightly in spring if the soil is poor, and avoid heavy mulches that remain waterlogged over winter. In UK gardens it suits mixed herbaceous borders, gravel or mediterranean-style beds and can be used where summer nectar sources are wanted; it also works in larger containers if drainage is assured. Flowers from June to September provide a steady resource for summer pollinators and help bridge the season from early to late summer.

More in the Salvia genus

• 
  Perovskia 'Blue Spire'
• 
  Rosmarinus prostratus
• 
  Salvia 'Ostfriesland'
• 
  Salvia 'Rose Queen'
• 
  Salvia 'Royal Bumble'
• 
  Salvia bicolorSage
• 
  Salvia forskaohleiSage
• 
  Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna'Woodland Sage