Salvia ‘Adriana’s Jewel’
Salvia ‘Adriana’s Jewel’ is a small greggii type Salvia which performs beautifully most of the year with these amazing 2 toned red flowers.
Salvia ‘Adriana’s Jewel‘ is indeed a jewel to have in the garden with those 2 toned red flowers .
Flowers: are primarily red, but have a 2 tone appearance.
The hood and tube are a lovely pink colour, with the bottom lobes being a wonderful red colour. Often the top part of those lobes can also be pink, giving it an extra dimension. The throat area has a definite white patch, which helps guide the bees and other pollinating insects further into the flower.
Once in flower, this small shrub will continue to flower for most f the year, until clipped down to clean out or shape. All flowers are held above any foliage to attract any passing insects.
Calyces: are a dark crimson, with short pink hairs. Lobes are well ribbed and very pointed with a soft tip. They seem to drop off after the flower has finished. Even the flower stem is coloured.
Leaves: are oblong with a rounded tip, looking more like a greggii shaped leaf with the midrib showing and nothing else. The edges are more or less entire with only one or two notches showing.
All the stems are well clothed with leaves. The shrub usually only grows from1 stem, making a nice bushy shrub.
Salvia ‘Adriana’s Jewel’. is a gorgeous small shrub for any garden, to brighten up a dull corner. Plant it in the forefront of a bed or in a cluster of 3-5 plants to really make a show. It would also do well in a mixed border with other contrasting shrubs and perennials, such as deep blues and purples. A lovely offset to a showy white perennial or a lovely contrast to a patch of pale pink groundcovers.
Grow in full sun, it’s not fussed about the soil, proving very hardy for the summer season and tolerating a light frost.
Having flowers over a long period in a bonus to any garden, especially in winter, providing food for bees and moths which love visiting this shrub.
Maintenance: As the plant flowers over a long period, it’s best to trim in the summer months for shape, then in winter or colder months, cut back to clean up the shrub, cut out any dead or twiggy stems. Once cleaned up, it won’t take long before it’s back into full leaf again and beginning to flower in late winter early spring.
Feed well and mulch to keep the roots cool in the hot dry summer season and warm in the cold months.
In spring, feed well and mulch to keep the roots cool in the summer season.
Propagation: Tip cuttings of new growth is advisable, taken when new shoots appear in spring, before the flower buds appear. But generally tip cuttings can be taken at most times of the year.