Salvia jurisicii: is a small compact herbaceous perennial 20-30cmH with upside down mauve flowers in spring.
Salia jurisicii: has unusual flowers, they are upside down and very hairy.
Flowers: are variable from mauve to violet in colour. Being upside down, the hood is the more dominant feature of the flower. Being quite long, a very pale mauve colour but with masses of mauve hairs giving the corolla, it’s colour. The middle and side lobes are a darker purple without any hairs.
Flowers appear in late spring to mid summer. The formation of the flowers is to attract and insure more bees and insects visit and pollinate the flowers.
Calyces: are green often with some colouring. They are quite long with blunt but pointed lobes. Ribbing is easily seen through the masses of soft white hairs.
Flowers are in compact whorls of 6-8 flowers along an olive green stem about 10-12cm long. These are held well above the foliage to attract passing insects.
Leaves: are grey green in long, thin finely divided lobes, looking like Rosemary leaves. These also are slightly hairy along the midrib, but the stem has masses of soft white hairs.
Leaves form a basal growth. Although herbaceous in their native areas of Europe, in milder climates, they can remain green through the winter months.
Salvia jurisicii: is a small compact clumping plant that is ideal for a rockery. Plant with other small pink, white or blue rockery shrubs and perennials. It does appreciate a drop of water during the hot summer months.
This is a tough, hardy small plant for a sunny position. In mild climates, this Salvia will remain evergreen, but will die down in colder climates or cold pockets.
In autumn after flowering has finished, collect seed, cut down flowering stems and clean up the plant. If the plant will remain over winter, feed lightly and mulch to keep the crown warm over winter, feed again and top up the mulch to keep the root area cool during the summer season.
Propagation: can be either from seed or from cuttings taken from the basal growth during spring and early summer.