Salvia chrysophylla : A bushy perennial shrub from Turkey with basal growth, 60-1m H loving full sun with blue and white flowers in summer.
Salvia chrysophylla: is a drought hardy plant for sunny positions.
Flowers: are elegant and beautifully coloured 2 toned, mauve/blue and white, falcate type flower, the hood is a large clear mauve / blue with white bottom lobes that are cupped to catch water or moisture and as a landing platform for bees and other insects.
Flowering in spring through the summer months, they appear in whorls of 6-8 flowers, coupled around a flowering stem. Many flowering stems are produced for one plant approx 60 -1mH, held well above the foliage to attract passing insects.
Calyces: are green, hairy and sparsely ribbed. with short pointed lobes. The flower bracts are long and thin, falling off when the flower emerges.
Leaves: are green with a grey hue, stiff ,long lanceolate, textured or fissured with serrated margin, veins are prominent on the underside with tomentose hairs. Leaves have a nice sagey fragrance bordering on a pungent aroma. Long petioles with new shoots appearing in axils.
Salvia chrysophylla: is an interesting and elegant bushy Salvia from the dry scree areas of Turkey. Tough, hardy to summer heat and winter cold, frost tolerant. Needing good drainage.
Grow with other tough other perennials that enjoy similar growing conditions. It can gradually expand from basal shoots to a bush approx 60cm-1m wide after some time.
With the green calyces and multiple flowering stems, they contrast beautifully against the mauve / blue and white flowers.
At the end of summer and autumn when the main flowering period is over, it’s time to clean up the shrub.
Cut off all spent flower stems, any dead or twiggy stems, old leaves and expanding stems where not wanted. Feed and mulch well to keep the root area cool during the dry summer months.
Propagation: is either from these basal shoots, or from seed, which should germinate easily.
Not available.