Salvia ‘Cyclamen’ (microphylla): is a small spreading sub shrub to 60cmH, with cyclamen coloured flowers for a full sun position.
Salvia ‘Cyclamen’: can be either a small shrub or used as a ground cover.
Flowers: are large, cyclamen coloured with a small hairy hood and a large bottom lobe that is flared, extended and slightly split.
The flowers are held on pairs along the flowering stem above the foliage to attract passing bees and insects. Although the major flowering period is from spring through summer, it can flower for most of the year.
Calyces: begin as green, but quickly colour to a dark dull crimson colour. Each lobe is well ribbed and pointed.
Leaves: are grass green, a heart shaped microphylla type leaf, well veined with fine crenations along the edges.
Salvia ‘Cyclamen’: makes a good clumping plant for the front of the bed, a good filler. It can expand gradually via underground stems, but these are easily pulled out where not wanted. A beautiful bright addition to the garden for a full sun position. Very bee and insect friendly.
Plant with other vivid coloured purples, bright blues, soft pinks and white small shrubs and perennials. Plant in front of a green hedge to show off the cyclamen coloured flowers which can be seen for most of the year.
Tough and hardy for dry summer heat and winter cold, even tolerating light frosts.
At the end of summer and autumn, when the plant may be looking tatty, it’s time to cut back and neaten. Neaten the circumference by pulling out any unwanted stems. Cut out any dead or twiggy stems, pruning down to good green buds.
Those new shoots will begin to produce new flowers in a few weeks.
Feed and mulch well to keep the root area warm over the cold winter months and when new shoots appear in spring, top up the mulch to keep the root area cool over the hot summer months.
Propagation: This is easily propagated by tip cuttings or cutting off layered rooted stems.