Salvia corrugata: A mid sized bushy shrub to 1.2m H, with electric blue flowers in late winter / spring and corrugated leaves.
Salvia corrugata: makes a good clump in a sunny position.
Flowers: are a true blue or electric blue, semi tubular with a broad lower lip. The two side lobes are folded behind the side extensions of the middle lobe, giving it a look of a rounded bottom lobe.
The hairy hood is paler with a faint white stripe down the centre coinciding with the prominent white beeline at the throat to guide the bees and insects into the flower.
Flowers are held in congested whorls of 4-6 flowers at the top of the flowering stems above the foliage to attract passing insects. Flowering during winter, early spring and should continue well into the summer.
Calyces: a green calyx accentuates the blue colour of the corolla. This is hairy, well ribbed with blunt pointed lobes. The pale green bracts remain often after the flower has opened.
Leaves: are long, elliptical, have slightly rolled edges, a beautiful glossy green textured top surface with rusty hairs beneath. Most of the stems also have these rusty hairs, this continues down to the first few leaves.
Salvia corrugata: is an interesting shrub that grows into a clump, gradually expanding at the base with suckers. These can be easily removed if the clump becomes too large. The clump can be sheared to keep it neat and tidy. Best grown among other shrubs in the middle or at the back of the bed. Very bee and insect friendly. Small birds also like to visit those wonderful flowers.
Plant with other cerise, white, bright yellow or crimson shrubs and perennials in a sunny position. S. corrugata once established is a tough and hardy shrub for hot summers, cold winters and can tolerate light frosts.
Very bee and insect friendly. Small birds also like to visit those wonderful flowers. Propagated easily from cuttings.
Late summer when most of the flowers have finished, it’s time to tidy the bush, by cutting away unwanted suckers and straggly growth, leaving good strong upright growths for flowering next season.
The clump can also be cut down to the base to encourage new growth.
Propagation: is easy from cuttings, usually from tip cuttings taken at any time of year.