Salvia ‘Raspberry Royale’ (greggii): A small compact bushy subshrub 40cmH for a sunny position with lovely crimson flowers and dark pink calyces.
Salvia ‘Raspberry Royale’: produces masses of flowers all year.
Flowers: are a darker pink, most lobes and hood being the same colour. The bottom lobe flaring out looking as if it is split. This will flower all year, even with a light trim at the end of summer. Bees, moths and other insects enjoy these flowers.
Calyces: are a beautiful dark crimson, ribbed with long pointed lobes.
Leaves: are narrow, lineal, midgreen with an entire edge. All stems are green and well clothed.
Salvia ‘Raspberry Royale’: is a great small shrub for the front of the bed, makes a nice hedge and certainly brightens up a dull corner of the garden. This must be positioned in full sun to keep it compact. Tough, hardy for dry summers months and winter cold S. ‘raspberry Royale’ can tolerate a light frost.
There is another similar variety still called ‘Raspberry Royale’, but has a more open growth, the flowers are redder and the leaves have a tapered tip that is slightly notched. This variety is equally tough and hardy for the elements.
Both varieties grow well with other purple / blue or white perennials in an informal border.
As both types of plants are naturally neat and compact, they only need trimming lightly to neaten. But if they do need cutting back, then take out any dead or twiggy stems and cut back to a good new bud. The new growth will be sustainable during the winter months.
Propagation: is by tip cuttings taken at any time of the year.