Salvia glutinosa: is a small herbaceous perennial, 20-30cm H with hastate shaped leaves and pale yellow flowers in autumn.
Salvia glutinosa: is one of the larger Japanese Salvias.
Flowers: are a falcate type with a pale yellow well curved bulbous hood; the stigma well exerted from the tip.The 2 side lobes are long, thin and straight and the middle lobe is also long and thin, but frilled and slightly split.. Both the two side lobes and the middle lobe have brown markings on the beeline, leading all the way to the throat.
Flowers appear in autumn, just before becoming dormant in winter. These are seen on a small green flower stem of approx 10 cm in regular whorls of 4 flowers. Flowers are held above the foliage to attract passing bees and pollinating insects.
Calyces: are green, narrow, slightly hairy, ribbed and pointed, these can be coloured purple on the exposed side. When the flowers have finished, these will fall off unless pollinated, in which case they will remain, often turning a straw colour.
Leaves: have a broad hastate shape with a pointed tip, almost like a lance. Leaves are a bright green, slightly hairy on both sides, well veined and crenulated along the leaf edges.
Most plants form a clump with stems being well clothed with leaves.
As Salvia glutinosa: becomes winter dormant, the new growth in spring grows quickly to form a clump, but flowers in autumn.
This Salvia comes form the forest floor in a Woodland setting. Plant with other similar plants liking the dappled shade of deciduous woods. They look stunning mass planted under deciduous trees.
Liking dappled shade, they dislike hot dry, windy positions, enjoying a moist glade situation.
When they begin “going down for winter”, clean away old leaves and debris. Mulch the crown against cold during the winter months. Just before the new shoots appear in Spring, feed well and top up mulch to keep the root area cool during the hot dry months of summer.
Propagation: usually by tip cuttings taken in summer.