Salvia ‘Icing Sugar’: is a small subshrub 40-60cmH for a sunny position with pink flowers that has a pale frill on the bottom lobe.
Salvia ‘icing Sugar’: is a greggii x microphylla cross with many variations in the colour of the flower.
Flowers: are a cerise colour with a flared and divided bottom lobe. Most of the bottom lobe is a paler pink giving a 2 tone effect. A paler beeline at the throat guides the bees and insects into the flower. Although the hood which is furry with cerise hairs, the two side lobes and most of the main lobe are cerise, the tube is paler.
Most of the flowers appear clustered at the top of the flowering stem in pairs, above the foliage to catch passing insects.
The main flowering period is spring and summer, but if not pruned, this Salvia will flower most of the year.
Calyces: are mainly green, very ribbed, but most of the pointed lobes colour to nice pinkish tones on the exposed sides.
Leaves: are a long oval shape, glossy on both sides of the leaf. With only the midrib showing and very few other veins showing, the leaves do look like a greggii leaf, but there are fine crenations all along the margins.
Salvia ‘Icing Sugar: is a pretty small shrub for the garden, certainly brightening up a dark corner with these lovely pink flowers.
Grow in a sunny position with other blue, purple or white coloured shrubs and perennials at the front of the bed to show off the delicate colouring of the flowers.
This is a tough, hardy small shrub for both the summer and winter months and to tolerate light frosts.
At the end of summer when most of these shrubs are looking untidy, cut back to neaten. Cut out any dead or twiggy stems, taking the stem back to a good green bud which will help to regenerated the shrub and provide good growth during winter. Feed and mulch well to keep the root area warm during winter. Feed and mulch again in spring to keep cool for the hot summer months.
Propagation: is by tip cuttings taken at any time during spring and summer.