Salvia orbigneai: This is a low to medium growing bushy perennial shrub 1m – 1.2mH, with pink/mauve tubular flowers in late spring and summer. Enjoys a sunny protected position.
Salvia orbigneai coming from Bolivia is usually an under shrub.
Flowers: are long tubular pink/ mauve coloured. The hood is large, covered with the same coloured pink hairs and all the lower lobes are fused together to form a slender but flared out lower lobe. A faint pale beeline can be seen around the throat. As the lower lobes flatten out, this acts as a landing place for bees and other pollinators.
Flowers are in simple whorls either side of the stem, usually 2-4 flowers. Flowers are sparse with a long interval between whorls. Because of their pink colour, they stand out beautifully against the glossy green foliage. These stems of flowers are generally held well above the foliage to attract passing bees and other pollinating insects.
Most flowers appear in late spring , continuing through out the summer and possibly into autumn if the spent flower heads are regularly deadheaded.
Calyces: are a pale green, long and slender.The look beautiful hold a dark pink bud. Lobes are ribbed and pointed.
Calyces drop off after the flower has finished.
Leaves: are a slender oval/ lanceolate shape, a mid bright green in colour and deeply veined. Petioles are short and green. Most stems are well clothed until the flower stem appears.
Salvia orbigneai
Salvia orbigneai
Salvia orbigneai is a parent of x ‘Westerae’, which has similar but smaller leaves and a different flower.
This open bushy shrub proves to be a good understorey plant to taller shrubs and trees, tolerating partial shade, but would better in a well drained sunny protected position, where it has protection from harsh winds, hot sun in summer and frost in winter. It will always enjoy some extra water during the hot summer season.
Grow with other similar leafy shrubs and perennials to form either a background plant or to help fill an area under a tall shrub or tree e.g. a Eucalypt.
Plant with other pinks, blues and purples, use whites as a foil to other rich combinations, to provide a lovely soft palette of colour to the garden
Maintenance: Keep dead heading flower heads when finished to encourage more flowers. Clean out in winter, taking out any dead or weak stems. Some stems may need training upwards or staking, rather than allowing to flop, but look at the overall shape and trim accordingly. Feed regularly during the growing season and mulch well to keep the roots cool in the summer season and warm during winter.
Keep a watch for snails and slugs in spring when those fresh leaves appear.
Propagation: As this plant doesn’t produce seed readily, the easiest way to propagate is from tip cuttings taken through out the year.