Salvia, derived from the latin ‘salvare’ to heal, commonly known as ‘sages’, have been noted for their medicinal and culinary use for centuries.
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These varied plants of numerous species and cultivated varieties occur in many forms – annual, perennial, evergreen or deciduous shrubs; noteworthy for their pest and disease resistance; drought tolerance and many beautiful flowers. In addition they are as diverse in fragrance as they are in bloom, habit and colour.
Most of the plants have the typical square stems of the mint family – largest genus of the Family Lamiacaea. Opposite leaves can be either toothed or entire but some are often thick, wrinkled and somewhat woolly. All carry their flowers in upright spikes, often with whorls of bloom around their stems. Their tubular flowers have conspicuous lips often borne in abundance in a colour range from blue to purple, pink to red as well as white and some yellows. A valuable and diverse addition to the flower garden.
As a very large genus (around 900 species), plant cultivation needs vary greatly, ’twixt hardy and tender. However, most prefer a sunny position in well-drained but humus-enriched, moist soil. Propagation of the shrubby species, including the culinary herb (pictured), is by softwood cuttings from spring through to autumn and from seed in spring. Use the outer, newer growth for replanting if you wish to take divisions from older plants.
Dwarf Golden Sage S. officinalis ‘Aurea’ makes a very showy compact border plant.
For those partial to purple or blue flowered plants, cultivars of the species Salvia nemorosa offer many selections for the garden as well as attracting bees, butterflies and other useful insects. Variety ‘Lubecca’ is royal blue; ‘Ostfriesland’ deep blue-violet and ‘Superba’ deep blue with reddish purple bracts.
Salvia candelabrum (www.LambleyNursery) is a rare Spanish species with large violet flowers arranged like a candelabra on 100cm tall stems of beautiful grey foliage with flowers all throughout summer.
‘Mexican Blue’ (60cm x 80cm) offers a prolific display of sky blue flowers over the warmer months while S. ‘Limelight (1.4m x 1.4m) carries electric blue flowers with vivid lime green calyxes from summer through winter.
Salvia greggii ‘Sierra Red’ (80cm x 80cm), native to Mexico and Texas, appreciates a warm spot and as such is useful for containers. Trimming spent flowers encourages more bloom and a compact shape of aromatic evergreen foliage.
