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Salvia Yamagata ( koyamae)

Salvia ‘Yamagata’ ( koyamae): is a herbaceous perennial from Japan. Growing  20-30cmH with yellow green leaves and pale lemon flowers in Autumn, for a semi shaded position.

Salvia 'Yamagata'
Salvia ‘Yamagata’

Salvia ‘Yamagata’: is a hybrid of Salvia koyamae, but forms a small bushy plant.

Flowers: are a falcate type with a straight hood  that opens slightly to allow a purple stigma to protrude out and down. It reminds me of a snake ready to strike. The whole flower is the same pale lemon colour.

The 2 side lobes are flattened and rolled out to open up the throat area to allow better access for pollinating insects to enter the corolla.The middle lobe is longer and  narrow to act as a landing place for insects.

Flowers are in whorls of 4-6 flowers, set at regular intervals  on small spikes. Approx. 4-6 sets of whorls to a flower stem.

These are held above the foliage to attract passing insects.

Although flowers can appear in spring, the main flowering time is in autumn, just before “going down for winter”

Calyces: are green, slightly hairy, well ribbed with blunt pointed lobes. These remain green after the flower has finished and remain on the stem until cut off.

Leaves: are a broad cordate shape, a yellow green colour with serrated margins. Leaves are well veined, thin in texture. Each stem is well clothed which helps to cover the root area, keeping it cool during the warm months.

Salvia ‘Yamagata’: is best suited to a woodland position with dappled sun. They look wonderful mass planted under a deciduous tree or among other mass planted bulbs. The yellow green leaves certainly brighten up a dull corner  and light up the shade under a deciduous tree.

Being small, they are perfect as a pot plant, looking ideal in a ceramic glazed pot. As a pot plant, they can be moved about, according to the growing conditions and the amount of light available.

When the flowers have finished and the plant is ready to “go down”, cut off old flower stems, clean away old leaves and clear away old debris.

If planted in the ground, mulch well to keep the crown warm during the cold winter months. In pots, mulch with either sawdust or fine gravel to deter snails. In late winter, before the leaves reappear, feed plants in pots and in the ground, top up the mulch to keep the root area cool during the hot dry months of summer.

Propagation: Usually by tip cuttings or new shoots taken in spring and early summer. Cuttings usually strike easily. Rooting quite quickly.