About
Midnight Candle' is a compact, upright, half-hardy perennial to 50cm tall that is usually grown as an annual with lance-shaped leaves and spikes of deep blue flowers with white eyes borne from summer into early autumn.
About the genus
Salvia can be annuals, biennials, herbaceous or evergreen perennials, or shrubs. They have paired, simple or pinnately lobed, often aromatic leaves and 2-lipped flowers in whorls, forming simple or branched spikes or racemes
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeLoam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, East-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH3
Plant details
Plant typeAnnual Biennial, Bedding
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height1-2 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Mediterranean climate plants, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationGrow in fertile, moist but well-drained, humus-rich, soil in full sun or partial shade.See our video How to care for tender salvia for more advice
PruningCut back spent flower spikes to prolong flowering
PropagationPropagate by softwood or semi-ripe cuttings
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to slug damage on young growth
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), powdery mildews, verticillium wilt and foot and root rots