Salvia pratensis hybrids: These are herbaceous perennials approx 40-60cmH, large leaves in a rosette clump with spires of either mauve, pale pink, purple or white flowers in late spring and summer.
Salvia pratensis hybrids have large leaves, forming a large clump.
Varieties that we know of that are accepted hybrids: Some older named varieties have been either lost or have not been accepted as a pratensis hybrid.
S.pratensis – this is very variable, depending the age of the variety
‘Haematodes’
‘Verona’ spp
‘Skydance’
‘Swan Lake’
‘Madeline’
‘Indigo’
‘Sweet Esmeralda’
S.kuznetzovii
These are all described separately: please see A-Z pages
Flowers: have a falcate type shape flower, having a large opening between the hood and the lower lobes. Most often the stigma is exerted way beyond the hood( often looking like an extension of the flower.)
The bottom lobes are usually a different colour to the hood, sometimes with markings, to attract bees and other insects. The 2 side lobes are tucked in to the sides helping the bottom lobe to have a cupped position. this acts both as a landing place for the insect and to hold a drop of moisture for the bees and insects who visit. Again another means to attract a pollinator.
Flowers appear in whorls of 6-8 flowers around a square stem, in a candelabra or verticillate type arrangement along the flower stem. There may be a number of stems arising from the clump with flowers appearing along most of the stem. These can be either mauve, purple, pale pink or white. The flowers themselves are quite large and showy.
As the plant is herbaceous, the flower stems appear in mid to late spring and should remain flowering over the beginning of summer when they begin to fade and produce seed.
Leaves: are broad and long, up to 12cmlong, well veined, usually a darker green with small crenulations along the edges, all have a very pointed tip. Most have longish petioles, some coloured, others plain green.
These form a rosette clump from which the flower spikes arise, maybe a single stem or several or in an older clump, many flower spikes.
Calyces: are well formed and ribbed, mainly green, but sometimes coloured. All lobes are pointed. These drop off if not pollinated, leaving the flower head stem. If pollinated, the calyces become straw coloured and will remain until knocked off.
All S.pratensis hybrids have large leaves with a very pointed tip and are very striking plants when in flower.
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.
Not all varieties are always available