Stunning Salvias to Cultivate: Annual and Perennial Salvia Types Worth Growing
In the vibrant world of summer gardening, one plant family stands out for its stunning beauty and longevity: Salvias. With over 900 different breeds and cultivars, these versatile plants offer a wide range of colours, sizes, and growing conditions to suit every gardener's needs.
One of the most captivating perennial salvias is the 'Indigo Spires' hybrid sage (Salvia farinacea x longispicata), which boasts dark blue-purple flowers that bloom from summer to frost. Hardy to zone 7, this plant can reach up to 3 feet tall and is a delightful addition to any garden.
Another eye-catching perennial is the 'Black and Blue' (Salvia guaranitica), a tall plant that can grow up to 5 feet tall and features deep-blue, trumpet-shaped flowers. Like the 'Indigo Spires', it is hardy to zone 7.
To ensure perennial salvias continue to thrive, it's essential to cut them back in spring when new growth starts and apply a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 15-15-15 in spring and early summer.
For those seeking more colour options, the 'Summer Jewel' (Salvia coccinea) series offers red, pink, lavender, and white variations. Once established, these perennial salvias are drought tolerant, though new plants should be watered regularly during their first season.
Many salvias are also well-suited to shade, and several are hardy to USDA zones 6 or 7. Evergreen perennial varieties like 'Icterina' also thrive in pots, with clay or terracotta pots being the best choice for growing salvias.
For those who prefer annual salvias, there's a wealth of options available. 'Salvia splendens' and its cultivar 'Bonfire' (Clara Bedman) are known for their brilliant scarlet flowers, while 'Caradonna' (Salvia nemorosa) offers violet-blue blooms. Annual salvias have an impressively long flowering season, blooming all summer long in bold colours such as reds, purples, pinks, corals, and whites.
'Coral Nymph' (Salvia coccinea), a compact salmon and white bicolor Texas sage, is another popular annual choice. Bedding Sage (Salvia splendens) offers several vibrant colours in the Salsa series and the Vista series.
Several Salvia varieties are also perfect for container cultivation. Fast-growing, dynamic, and blooming in various colours in summer, plants like Salvia microphylla, Salvia greggii, and Salvia farinacea are ideal choices. The shrubby, long-blooming Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) is particularly attractive to hummingbirds and hardy to zone 6.
Whether you're looking for a perennial or an annual, a tall plant or a compact one, a shade-loving variety or a sun-worshipper, there's a Salvia out there for you. Embrace the summer with these captivating plants and watch your garden come alive with colour and beauty.
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