Salvia concolor: a tall bushy shrub, 2-3m H, enjoying a semi shaded position with bright purple flowers in winter.
Salvia concolor: is a colourful shrub in the cooler months with bright
purple flowers.
Flowers: are a narrow tubular violet purple colour with a more vibrant coloured hood and lobes. The bottom lobe is slightly split and flared out to act as a landing spot for bees and insects.
Although it is small birds with very long beaks like our Honeyeaters that seem to be able to penetrate the tube for the nectar.
Looking closely, there is a small white stripe on the hood and a pale area around the entrance of the throat that is a beeline to guide the insects further into the flower.
The flowers appear in late winter, early spring, continuing into early summer. The long flowering spikes are held well above the foliage to catch passing birds and insects. Small birds love these flowers during winter.
Calyces: are a dull dark purple, well ribbed with narrow pointed lobes. Even the flowering stems are a wonderful colour of purple.
Leaves: are a bright green lime colour, broad cordate shape with a tapered apex, well veined and an almost truncated base. Small crenations run along the edges. The petioles are also purple, adding to the colour of the plant.
Salvia concolor: is a gorgeous colourful shrubby Salvia that needs to be grown in a semi shaded position or a sunny protected position, as it is frost tender. It certainly enjoys a bit of extra water over the summer months. This Salvia hates hot, dry conditions.
Plant at the back of the bed or in front of taller background shrubs that show off the beautiful lime green leaves and the vibrant purple flowers in winter. As this is a bushy shrub, it needs room to spread, so don’t cramp it in among other taller shrubs that will swamp it’s growth.
In the early summer months after it has finished the main flowering period, it will need pruning down to new shoots that should appear lower down the main stems. This will encourage the plant to produce good strong stems. Cut out any dead or twiggy stems to keep the plant vibrant.
Propagation: is usually from tip cuttings of strong new growth, taken in spring/ early summer.
Not readily available.