Back in 2014 I wrote a story on salvia for the Oregon Association of Nurseries. The story was assigned to me, I didn't chose it. I knew nothing about salvia and didn't have any interest in learning, but learn I did. I interviewed nursery folk, and read, and wrote. I faked it, but I still didn't care for salvia. Well, until now.
These Salvia discolor photos are all from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, several containers were grouped by the visitors center.
I've never grown this plant in a container, I think that's going to change though, they looked great.
But enough about that salvia, there were others! At the New York Botanical Garden there was this mash-up. Truth be told I paid zero attention to the red/pink flowers, is that a salvia too? It might be, but my eyes were drawn to the tall plant in the back...
It's Salvia mexicana 'Tula' and I love the chartreuse and blue combination as well as the very graphic arrangement of the blooms on each stem.
Here is the question: did I start to see salvia differently, maybe have a salvia change of heart while touring NYC gardens? Or do salvia just grow better there and that's why they caught my attention?
This white fluffy number was in another part of the NY Botanical Garden, I was kind of in love, but wondered if there was more to the flowers.
I finally found this stem, it looks like maybe the flowers are white? Once home I did a little research and found Salvia 'White Flame' PP32429.
At Wave Hill I saw this, Salvia leucantha Danielle's Dream ['Ferpink'] PP21,734 (Pink Mexican Sage).
This color combo of pink and white is pretty much my worse nightmare, my teeth hurt just looking at this photo. I was only paying attention because I feared this is what the plant I loved at the NYBG (Salvia 'White Flame') actually looked like in flower.
Then in another section at Wave Hill, this. Yes! White flowers not pink, so I was able to feel sure that it's a thing. White flowers aren't usually my jam, I love the fuzz though!
More from Wave Hill, Salvia coccinea 'Forest Fire' (Texas sage cultivar)
And Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage), oh my! 
I got lucky capturing that red ant (?) in the red velvet.
This one is even more tender than Salvia discolor, but I am definitely going to hunt it down next spring.
One more, this one unlabeled.
But a hit with the locals...
So are you a salvia lover? What are your favorites? Do you grow them as annuals or are they reliable perennials in your garden?
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All material © 2009-2022 by Loree L Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
That last one looks like Salvia leucantha (Mexican bush sage) which blooms in the fall. I tried growing it here this year and while it bloomed, it was really too late in the season to enjoy it. I love that red one.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Late season blooms are something I'd like to avoid, and if I am thinking realistically, I guess a lot of salvia are just too big for my garden.
DeleteI'm so happy that you're warming up to salvias. I'm a big fan and would grow more of them (esp. the larger varieties) if I had the room. My all-time fave, aside from Salvia discolor, is Salvia chamaedryoides. I love that color of blue. Salvia bullulata (see Annie's Annuals: https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=4982) is another favorite, but mine died in the ungodly heat this summer.
ReplyDeleteI recently planted Salvia 'Amethyst Lips' (https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=5638) and have high hopes.
BTW, you can take cuttings from your Salvia discolor and overwinter those inside.
The multi-colored blooms are still a hard no for me, way too flashy! ;) As for Salvia discolor cuttings. I have tried and failed, many times. This is why I'm thinking perhaps growing it in a container might be the answer for me.
DeleteYou bet I am definitely in the salvia fan club. They do very well in my dry high altitude sunny garden and are always covered in flying creatures (and none of the four-footed creatures like them). I grow the hardy S. nemerosa hybrids but have a lot of non-hardy types that I just overwinter in my garage. You would like the fuzzy silver leaves of S. canariensis 'Lancelot',gorgeous, as are the many S.guaranitica hybrids. Super easy to increase your stock through cuttings too.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! That Salvia canariensis 'Lancelot' is lovely! And I gather from your comment that rabbits don't like salvias? Bonus!
DeleteI have mixed luck with Salvias. Salvia discolor does alright here, although mine has never gotten very large. A lot of the South and Central American Salvias haven't performed well for me but all Salvia clevelandii varieties thrive. (My favorite is 'Winnifred Gilman'.) I planted Salvia 'White Flame' last year and it does as well as Salvia 'Mystic Spires' (which has similar parentage) in my garden, although both need to be cut back regularly to look good. The noID Salvia in your last 2 photos looks like it could be a S. leucantha (one of the Mexican bush sages), which is popular here too, although for some reason hates my garden.
ReplyDeleteFunny, looking up some of those names and checking out the Google images has me again shying away from wanting to include these plants in my garden... I wonder why?
DeleteOrnamental sages are beautiful and plentiful here in CA. Most of them are considered drought-tolerant (or water-wise) and hummingbird/bee friendly. I don't get enough sun to grow one but I do have an African Blue Basil which is a perennial. It's obviously getting plenty of sun and the bees swarm all over it.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, you make a good point—sun. I do have to remember that is a dwindling resource in my garden.
DeleteI grew discolor quite a few years. Good plant. Lived quite well on rainfall alone. You captured the beauty of the flower very well.
ReplyDeleteSalvias really like it here and feed a lot of hummers and pollinators for most of the year--hard to say no to that.
Exactly, I am definitely up for helping feed the creatures.
DeleteBesides Salvia discolor (which I've never really done well with), I really like Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' and Salvia fruticosa. Both are hardy in 6B/7A IF they're planted deeper than you think they should be - about 6" or so.
ReplyDeleteThat bright blue with the dark base is very appealing. Great tip about planting them deep!
DeleteGrowing Salvia in a container might work for me as i could move it into the sunniest spots and keep it drier than my garden usually is. I grew it in my old garden but it's always been too shady here. But those dark flowers are gorgeous .
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm thinking that moving it with the sun would be a good thing here too.
DeleteSalvias do really well I’m my climate (South Australia- Mediterranean climate) and we are lucky to have lots of different types available here as well as a specialist salvia nursery. Although I’ve never seen S. confertiflora before and now I think I need one after seeing your photo 🙂 Salvia discolor is one of my favourites too - it’s never without a bloom here. Your last two photos look like S. ‘Waverley’ which I also grow. Our local honeyeaters are pretty obsessed with it!
ReplyDeleteIsn't that red just unbelievable? Perhaps your specialty nursery can get it?
DeleteAnd this comment really cracked me up:
ReplyDelete“This color combo of pink and white is pretty much my worse nightmare, my teeth hurt just looking at this photo.”
I like that you have clear ideas about what you do and do not like!
Oh I definitely do, and they do sometimes change—I do not however see myself deciding that fluffy white and cotton candy pink is suddenly a good combo!
DeleteThe last Salvia is "Waverly," a kind of sophisticated one. Another salvia you might like is Salvia africana 'lutea' which has burnt orange flowers and works well in dryer gardens...like mine.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! I love Salvia africana 'lutea', thanks for the reminder.
DeleteI second that! Google images doesn't do it justice. It's so different. A dusty glaucous green, bronze, and rust.
DeleteA must have for my garden next year!
DeleteNot necessarily a salvia lover, but I do appreciate a happy one in other peoples' sunny gardens. They don't usually like my shade, that's for sure! S. discolor didn't last long in my garden, but I still have one Joy Creek leftover, called 'Phyllis' Fancy'. It's as tall as me, and is still in bloom. Crazy plant...
ReplyDeleteTwo salvias will work well in shade, Salvia koyamae, from Japan, has soft yellow flowers in August and Salvia glutinosa has yellow flowers with red beelines from June into July. The Salviaguy
DeleteThanks for both of those yellow recommendations. I had Salvia koyamae for awhile, until it got shaded out and too dry. It's a good one!
DeleteO, I fell down the salvia rabbit hole and have remained an ardent fan. Many are still in full blooming in the final week of November...and will carry through till Xmas (involucrata, guarantica, various greggii/jamesis/microphyllas, chamelaeagnea, coccinea) including a new to me s.reptans. Usually easy to propagate, long blooming and trouble free garden plants - what's not to love?
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've got a garden full of salvia!
DeleteWith hundreds of salvia out there in the world, you were bound to have a change of heart. They are useful as bee magnets, and while I got rid of a happily reseeding variety, I grow Salvia berggarten: blooms for the bees, fuzzy leafs for me.
ReplyDeleteAs you already migrate so many plants indoors for winter, what's another pot with your favorite tender sage...
Chavli
That's dangerous thinking! (what's another pot...)
DeleteThree favorites: Salvia Africana-lutea (totally different coloration from the rest), Salvia argentea for the furry silver foliage, and White sage (Salvia Apiana)
ReplyDeleteThank you for those! I will check them out.
DeleteYou know I love the salvia tribe, but I can understand a wariness at their reputation as mere color-delivery devices. And that's so true that when they're grown well and are happy, they look like different plants. The best examples of fall salvias I've seen were grown at Great Comp in the UK. The photo you took of 'Tula' is a good example of a well-grown salvia! If only there was a foolproof formula...
ReplyDeleteIf only! (and I love that you called them "mere color-delivery devices")
DeleteYou may have put two and two together and discovered this already, but the fluffy white salvia you fell in love with is another Salvia leucantha (Mexican sage bush), probably 'White Mischief,' but possibly 'White Velour." I dug into it because I also fell in love with it (when I saw it here in your blog) and dammit, I must have it.
ReplyDeleteNo I had not, but I thank you! (I think) I don't normally like white in my garden, but dammit... I love these!
Delete