Salvia disermas x ‘Pink’: A clumping plant, 1m H for a sunny position with many spikes of small pink flowers in spring and summer.
Salvia disermas x ‘Pink’: is a lovely clumping plant loaded with copious amounts of flowers that the bees love.
Flowers: are pale pink, falcate type with the hood being larger and a darker shade of pink. The lower lobes are paler, almost white and often cupped to catch a dollop of dew and act as a landing place for bees.
Just around the throat area there are some lovely beeline markings to attract the insects. The space between the hood and the lower lobes is opened wide to allow the bees to crawl into the inside of the flower.
Flowers are in whorls of 4-6 flowers. These are located evenly along on the long square green hairy flower stem. Flowering begins in late spring and continues through summer through to autumn.
Calyces: are green and hairy. Each lobe is ribbed with a blunt pointed tip. These become a lovely straw colour after the flowers have finished, remaining on the stem as any seed matures. There are so many flower stems full of flowers held well above the foliage to attract passing bees and other pollinating insects.
Leaves: are a bright grass green, very broad elongated cordate shaped with small lobes and soft crenations along the margins. Hairy both sides with a pleasant aroma. Some small leaves can be seen growing up the flower stem.
Salvia disermas x ‘Pink’: is an interesting Salvia, great in the middle of a bed with something low in front and something larger behind. A great plant to have at the front of an informal border.
Plant with other cottage style plants, other whites, pale pinks, mauves and purples light blues to make a pale palette. Plant in full sun and watch all the bees , moths and insects hover around those flowers.
Very tough, hardy for summer dry heat and winter cold, will tolerate frosts. Not fussy about soil, but must be well drained. A great focal point in summer.
At the end of summer when the flowers are spent, it’s time to tidy up the plant, by firstly collecting any seed that may needed to be kept, cut off all the spent flower stems down to the base, allowing any new growth to see the sun and grow. Take off any old leaves and tidy around the base.
Feed and mulch well for winter warmth around the base. In spring, just as the flower shoots are beginning to appear, feed again and top up mulch to keep the root area cool over the hot dry summer. Check for snails as the tender shoots appear.
Propagation: usually by fresh new tip growth, taken at any time of year, but can be grown by seed – see seed page for sowing instructions.