Salvia involucrata ‘Boutin’ : is an upright medium sized shrubby perennial 1.5-2mH with brushes of pink flowers in autumn and winter.
Salvia involucrata ‘Boutin’: has a more delicate stem of bright cerise flowers than it’s parent.
Flowers: are tubular, a clear cerise colour with a small hood and bottom lobe. The furry hood has a white tip to match the white bottom lobes. The white of the bottom lobe is the beeline or marker to attract insects and birds to the flowers, especially if grown in the shade.
Each of these attractive flowers are held in whorls of 8 flowers, 4 being open at any one time with 4 yet to open, which extends the flowering period.
The is very dark coloured flowering stem holds each well spaced whorl a verticillata formation.
Calyces and involucrote: are darker pink brown colour, clearly ribbed with pointed lobes. When the flowers have fallen, the coloured calyces remain, adding colour to the shrub.
All involucrata hybrids have an involucrote, some large, some only very small. An involucrote is a knob of bracts (the same colour as the corollas) full of more flowers. S.’Boutin’ has a smaller knob which eventually elongates. The small coloured bracts falloff as each whorl of flowers opens.
Leaves: are mid green, broadly cordate with a tapering tip. Smooth on both surfaces with only the pinkish midrib showing, which joins onto a long pink petiole.
Salvia ‘Boutin’: likes a dappled shade position, but will grow well in a sunny protected area. Grow with other shrubs that enjoy a shady position, others with vivid purples, crimson and darker tones of pink. All blending and contrasting with each other.
A this is a tender shrub, it needs protection from frosts, but should grow well in the winter cold if protected by others bushy shrubs.
Pruning: After the main flowering has finished in late spring, the shrub will need trimming and cutting back of any dead or twiggy stems. While waiting for new growth to appear at the base, cut back old stems by half to promote new shoots. When they are long enough, they can be used for cuttings. Old stems need to be cut right down after new growth appears.
At this stage, the shrub needs feeding and mulching to keep the root area cool over the hot dry summer months.
Propagation: is usually from tip cuttings taken in late spring and summer when the new growth is mature.
Occasionally available.