Salvia nemorosa hybrids: are all herbaceous perennials, approx 40-60cmH. Winter dormant, with combinations of purple, pink, mauve flowers in spring through to summer.
Salvia nemorosa hybrids include:
‘Amethyst’
‘Caradonna’
East Friesland / Ostfriesland
‘Kate Glen’
‘Lambley Dumble’
ssp ‘Tesquicola’
‘Wesuwe’
Nemorosa: differ from S.pratensis and S superba
- Basal leaf growth: very little if any, basal rosette growth. This may occur when the flowers are maturing, before the plant prepares to go down for winter.
- Stems: most stems in a clump are leafy flower stems, these can be are single or branched, often coloured or have mottled stems, approx 60cmH
All stems are fully clothed with leaves up to the flower head or up to the branching of the stems. The number of stems depends on the age of the clump e.g seed raised, cuttings or nursery bought in a pot.
- Leaves: are elongated lanceolate, with either a blunt point or a rounded tip and small crenulations around the edges. These are positioned alternately along the stem to maximise the amount of sunlight each leaf receives. The basal leaves begin with a small petiole and becoming sessile as they progress up the stem. Colours can range from a pale green to a mid green or even a blue grey colour.
Leaves are found all along the flower stems.
Flowers: are also a falcate type, but small, held in dense terminal spires, in whorls of 6 flowers, 3 flowers on either side of the stem. These are also positioned alternatively to give better access to pollinating insects. Beneath each whorl are found small colourful triangular bracts. Most fall off after the flowers have finished, but occasionally they remain as in spp ‘Tesquicola’ and ‘Kate Glenn’.
- There are often buds at the tip of the spire that don’t open until the bottom flower finish, a form of prolonging the flowering period. Most flower heads are long,15 – 20cmL, held way above the foliage to attract any passing bees and insects.
- Flowering time: is fairly early and quick from mid spring around October and November, continuing until February /March. If the stems are cut down after the first flush of flowers, around Christmas time, there is a good chance of another flush of flowers in the summer, taking the flowering time well into autumn.
- Colours: pale pinks, mauves, purples, blues, which are enhanced by the colours of the bracts, but NO whites.
As most but not all of these varieties originate in Europe where they have a short summer season, when they emerge in spring, they begin sending up flower spikes soon after the leaves have formed.
Some Salvia nemorosa hybrids are often confused with Salvia x sylvestris which a cross between S. pratensis (Meadow Sage) and S. nemorosa (Wood Sage) These include:
S.x sylvestris ‘Lubecca’
S.x sylvestris ‘Tanzarin’
S.x sylvestris ‘Lye End’
All Salvia nemorosa and x sylvestris hybrids make a spectacular statement in any garden from mid spring through summer till autumn, adding so much colour to the garden.
Grow in a full sun position with other small shrubs and perennials. Plant in groups of 3-5 plants which will certainly make a statement when they begin to flower. They look especially good in a mixed border with similar coloured perennials. They are very attractive, holding their flower stems well above other plants high enough to attract passing bees and insects.
Not fussy about the soil, so long as it’s well drained. Once established, they are tough and hardy for the summer months and with the onslaught of winter, they begin to die down for the cold frosty winter months.
Maintenance: Once the leaves begin to show in early spring, feed and mulch well, to keep the roots cool over the dry hot summer months. feed again when they begin to flower. When the flower heads turn to seed, collect the seed and cut down the stems. clean away old leaves and cut any stems by half to provide a marker for the clump so you don’t accidentally dig up or tread on the clump whilst dormant.
Mulch well over the cold months to keep the crown warm.
Propagation: usually by seed, sown in the warmer months or by slips taken from the side of the clump that may have roots or by cuttings taken when there are 2-3 nodes on the young stems, but before they begin to produce flower stems. For more information, see the propagating page and the seed page on the shop.