Salvia ‘Flash’ ( Heatwave): a small subshrub 40-60cmH with cream flowers in spring through to autumn for a sunny position.
Salvia ‘Flash’ ( Heatwave) is a cream coloured flower to add to the Heatwave collection.
Flowers: are a typical greggii/ microphylla shape, with a straight hood and all the three bottom lobes being the same colour cream. Only the tube that has any colour variation of being a little darker or with a touch of pink .
The shrub is covered with flowers from spring through summer and into autumn. Although it will still flower over the winter months, this is the time that the shrub is trimmed and pruned.
Flowers are held in loose clusters at the end of the flowering stem, always above the foliage to attract passing bees and other pollinating insects.
Calyces: are initially green, but with brownish coloured ribs, giving the overall impression of an olive colour. Often the long pointed tips have a burnished colouration.
Most of the calyces will fall after the flower has finished, but will remain, becoming straw coloured with small round dark seeds inside.
Leaves: are a mid green, lanceolate in shape, showing the greggii / microphylla cross. It’s mainly the midvein that can be seen, with a few crenations found around the margins. The apex is pointed but soft and both surfaces shiny. Most stems are well clothed.
Salvia ‘Flash’ is a great bushy shrub to brighten any dull garden bed, with masses of flowers throughout the spring and summer season.
Plant with other blue, purple or even dark pink/ red bushy shrubs in a full sun position. Plant in a mixed border to add brightness and an overall completeness to the garden, or even a same coloured edging to a long path.
A tough hardy plant for the summer months, the winter cold and possible frost areas.
After the main flowering has finished, a light trim may be needed to tidy and encourage more flowers, but towards winter when the shrub is looking a bit scraggy looking, then it’s time to to cut back to good green buds to encourage new growth.
Flowering will begin again in just a few weeks.
When tidied, clean out any dead and twiggy stems, feed and mulch.
When the flowers begin feed again and top up mulch to keep the root area cool during the hot dry months of summer.
Propagation: is easy with tip cuttings taken at any time of year.
Not available for sale, having PBR statice