Salvia disermas ‘Pale Pink’: A small clumping perennial 40cm-60cm H for a sunny position with very pale pink flowers in late winter and grey/green lobed leaves.
Salvia disermas ‘Pale Pink’: is a lovely clumping perennial that can tolerate dappled shade.
Flowers: are falcate shaped, small pale pink flowers with a thick pale pink hairy hood and a large opening between the hood and the lower lobes. just poking out from under the hood is a deeper pink curled back stigma. These lower lobes are white pink with the middle lobe facing down or cupped to act as a landing place or to hold a drop of dew for the bees. Just at the throat area there are lovely delicate markings to guide the bees or insects further into the flower.
Flowers are in whorls of 6-8 flowers on stout square green hairy stems. Appearing in late winter, they constantly flower throughout the year until cut down for maintenance.
Calyces: are green, hairy with ribbed lobes with blunt pointed tips. These become an attractive straw colour once the flowers have finished and seed has set. They will remain on the stem until seed has been collected and cut off.
Leaves: are large, grey/green, hairy and well textured with distinct rounded lobes and a softly pointed apex. Petioles are green and long, becoming smaller as they progress along the flowering stem to the base of the flowers. They are pleasantly aromatic.
Salvia disermas ‘Pale Pink’ is a more open plant, with basal growth almost in a rosette, although the parent is upright and bushy.
This Salvia will tolerate a sunny position as well as some semi shade. It is summer and winter hardy, tolerating winter cold and frosts.
Plant either behind a low ground cover or in front of a hedge or taller green shrub. The delicate coloured flowers blend well with other strong coloured small shrubs and perennials, especially
purples, dark blues and cerise flowers. This Salvia puts on a good show when in flower, putting on good display when well grown.
In autumn when most of the flowers have finished, then it’s a good time to tidy up, by cutting off old flower stems, any dead or twiggy stems, any old leafy growth.
As new growth are still appearing, feed well and mulch to keep the root area warm during the cold months. In spring, feed again and top up the mulch to keep the root area cool during the hot dry months.
Propagation: Usually propagated by new growth tip cuttings taken in spring and autumn.