Salvia  blepharophylla: is an open  semi tropical  small shrubby plant, growing 60-80 cm H, with brilliant vivid vermilion flowers during  most of the year.

Salvia blepharophylla needs a protected position in colder areas.

Flowers :are a large bright vermilion colour. The hood is small and furry, the bottom lobes are large and folded down to allow small birds and bees to enter into the flower. The flowering  stems  can be 15-20cmlong . Flowers appear in small whorls of 4-6 flowers along a dark brown stem. These  are held well above the foliage to attract passing insects.

Calyces: are green, which show off the vermilion flowers very well. They are smooth , slightly hairy and waxy with small sticky glands . The lobes are bluntly pointed, often coloured on the exposed side.

Leaves: are dark green, broad lineal, smooth, with small rounded crenations along the margins. Most stems are well clothes with leaves.

Salvia blepharophylla is a beautiful plant for a sunny protected area, although fairly hardy in the cooler areas, it does need protection during the winter months from frosts.

Plant this ‘Painted Lady’ with other small green shrubby perennials to show off these gorgeous coloured flowers. this is a plant that displays well in a pot and brightens up dark corners.

A bushy plant which will produce many flowering stems during the flowering season. It is very attractive to small birds , bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects .

Although fairly hardy during summer S. blepharophylla should be mulched well to keep the root area cool during the hot dry summer months and warm during winter.

At the end of autumn, many of the flowering stems  need dead heading, long stems should be cut back to a good green bud and any dead or twiggy growth cleaned out to re invigorate the plant for spring.

Propagation: is usually by tip cuttings taken from new growth in spring

 

Back to Varieties