About
A herbaceous perennial, to about 75cm tall, producing basal clumps of toothed, hairy, heart-shaped leaves, and upright flowering stems bearing whorls of mid blue-purple flowers with darker purple bracts in summer.
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 typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectWest-facing, South-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens, Coastal, Gravel garden, Mediterranean climate plants
Native toTurkey
Care notes
CultivationGrow in well-drained soil and full sun with shelter from cold, drying winds
PruningCut back spent flower spikes to prolong flowering
PropagationPropagate by seed, or take basal stem cuttings in late spring; stem-tip cuttings in late summer or in early autumn or propagate by division in spring
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to slugs, snails, aphids, capsid bug, leafhoppers and rosemary beetle
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), powdery mildews, verticillium wilt and foot and root rots