Salvia ‘Midnight‘: is a small bushy shrub, 40-60cmH with small leaves and very dark crimson flowers that flower most of the year.
Salvia ‘Midnight’: is a seedling found in a garden, a lovely dark crimson/ burgundy form of a greggii hybrid.
Flowers: are a dark burgundy colour. A typical greggii style. All parts of the flower are the same colour.The hood is small with the 2 side lobes hiding behind the broad middle lobe, which has a small divide in the middle. Flowers are very profuse, in small groups of 6-8 flowers, all on opposite sides of the stem. Flowering for most of the year. Appearing above the foliage to attract passing small birds and pollinating insects.
Calyces: are even darker than the flowers. Lobes are ribbed and pointed. These drop off the stem after the flower have finished, needing to be cut off at the end of the season.
Leaves: are a bright green, small, a typical greggii shaped leaf with only the midrib showing. All stems are well clothed.
Salvia ‘Midnight’: is best planted in a full sun position either in as an edging plant or in a mixed border. This Salvia makes a spectacular show when in full flower.
This is a shrub that is noticed easily with it’s dark coloured flowers. Plant with other white and pale pink flowered small shrubs and perennials allowing those dark flowers to shine They make a great contrast and foil to a white or pale border.
These can be dotted through out such a bed for added interest. For a dramatic effect this is a great Salvia to use as a hedging plant along a path. Watch the bees and small butterflies perch on the flowers on a sunny day.
This is a tough hardy plant for the hot dry summer season. It is frost and cold hardy, tolerating light frosts. Best grown in full sun on well drained soils, but most soils should suit this gorgeous showy Salvia very well .
At the end of summer, when looking a bit straggly, its time to prune and clean out any dead or twiggy growth. Prune back to good green shoots. Feed well and mulch and in spring when new growth begins, feed again and top up the mulch to keep the root area cool during the hot dry summer season.
Propagation: is usually by tip cuttings from new shoots during spring and summer.