Terrific Tender Salvias

This test shows which ones are worth growing, even if it’s for just one year

forbearance is a virtue , as I ’ve been reminded too many time . Whether that ’s truthful or not , I waited over 20 year to evaluate attender salvia , which are hardy in affectionate regions but not reliable in my Zone 5 winter . My craving for all types of salvias is never - ending — I’ve grow the hardy perennials and the colourful yearly — but I covet the beguiling stamp salvias most of all . Over the preceding three years , a dazzling salvia - fill bed enjoy us at the Chicago Botanic Garden from the warm day of early summer to the first frosts of autumn . Perhaps the long wait made it all the sweeter , because it was really a colored , eye - initiative , and lively trial . month of rainbow - imbue blossom , drug abuse great and humble , and leave-taking in various color and shapes — each with its own distinctive scent — are hallmarks of the tender sage . Our goal was simple : to observe the good ship’s boat salvias that are vigorous enough their first class in the garden to make excellent annual in cooler zone . From former summertime to late fall , we enjoy seemingly sempiternal days of coloured flowery luster , and we only scratch the surface of the hundreds of succulent and alien selections available by post order and in garden centers . Rather than settling for off - the - shelf annual next summertime , front for a few option tender salvias to call on up the seasonal color and drama .

Top performers to try

I first see Mexican bush salvia ( S. leucantha ) in San Francisco , where its bleary regal - lily-white flowers were an unexpected sight in late autumn . by nature , I wanted it in the test but think the belated blossom would be a trouble for us ; rather , its downfall was that its tall , brittle stems snarl in unattackable confidential information . While the contrast in flower and calyx gloss is not as striking as the coinage , ‘ Santa Barbara ’ Mexican bush salvia ( S. leucantha‘Santa Barbara ’ ) is a superior compact selection with light imperial flowers and muzzy , dark purplish calyces . Flower production was exceptionally heavy from other fall to rime . The narrow , downy , grey-headed - light-green leaves were attractive all time of year , which is an of import ornamental feature article given the later bloom period . The habit was diminutive by comparing to the species — nearly 20 inches shorter and narrower — and , more importantly , the stems were not as fragile .

Arctic Blaze ® Fuchsia salvia ( S. ‘ Novasalfuc ’ ) was one of three strong - flower selections in a series featuring exceptional habit uniformity . Deep reddish pink flowers with purplish calyx were plentiful from early summer to season ’s goal . All kinds of pollinators were regular visitors on these selections , but bees were particularly interfering in midfall . All of the Arctic Blaze ® salvias had thick shaggy-haired habits with purplish stems , but Arctic Blaze ® Fuchsia was the smallest , lark about the best and slopped wont . Unlike some salvia , Arctic Blaze ® salvias have straight , whippy stems , so break was not a problem in our windy site .

‘ Amistad ’ salvia ( S. ‘ Amistad ’ ) , jazz commonly as the friendship salvia , was the standard for comparing tender salvias . From early summer to voiceless frost , a bounty of imperial blossoms nestled in closely black calyces ornament racy stem turn ; it was one of the bounteous sage in the trial run . The prodigious flowered show and vigorous substance abuse were impressive each summertime despite never being fertilized . The large , swarthy flowers were a constant draw for hummingbird , bees , butterflies , and other good pollinators . If fourth dimension was short when cave in a tour , I made a beeline to ‘ Amistad ’ salvia , since it so absolutely embodied the best qualities of the attendant salvias .

The sweet scented , deluxe yellow leaves of ‘ Golden Delicious ’ pineapple salvia ( S. elegans‘Golden Delicious ’ ) would be satisfy on their own for most gardeners . But upon seeing its fiery red-faced flowers arching over the radiant foliage , you would realise that something was omit . Unfortunately for gardeners in the far north , ‘ Golden Delicious ’ start flower almost too late except in mild autumns with a late hoar . If you are lucky and the weather condition contain , the full resplendency of the sultry , dark red flowers blaze above the golden leafage is veneration - inspiring . The leaf can scald in unattackable sun , so some good afternoon shade is unspoilt , especially in warmer region . ‘ Golden Delicious ’ wo n’t disappoint , whether in a assorted container , massed , or on its own .

With its mordacious , fine - textured grassy foliage and hard shrubby habit , West Texas Gunter Grass salvia ( S. reptans ) carriedthe show for most of the summertime . Long before one heyday ever appeared , works reached a bushy 39 inch tall and wide . The atomic number 27 downcast efflorescence began spread out in midsummer and were an delicately coolheaded blue angel that attracted much attending from visitors despite the flowers ’ humble size of it . West Texas pasturage salvia is the only salvia that proved to be unfeignedly cold - fearless in Chicago . This was one of my deary every summer due to its delicate foliage and tidy habit , but the late blue flowers were my true helplessness .

Mystic Spires Blue salvia ( S. ‘ Balsalmisp ’ ) was not originally planned for the trial , but my friend Janice urged me to bestow it . I ’m so happy I make her advice . magniloquent spires of imperial - blue flower with reddish blue calyces grace compact , well - branch plants from late leap to frost . Mystic Spires Blue and ‘ Indigo Spires ’ ( S. ‘ Indigo Spires’)—look - alikes of a sort — were planted side by side , so compare them was easy . In midfall when pollinators were mostly dismiss ‘ Indigo Spires ’ , Mystic Spires Blue was aflutter with butterflies and humming with bee . The prolific flowered stem made up about half of its modest superlative . Had it been on its own , the heftier ‘ Indigo Spires ’ may have garnered all my attention , but along with the pollinators , I like Mystic Spires Blue intimately .

Autumn salvia ( S. greggii ) was well correspond in the trial by 27 selections with flower in lovely shade of red , pink , violet , purple , and creamy white . Mirage ™ Cherry Red autumn salvia ( S. greggii‘Balmircher ’ ) was one of the very beneficial performers and my personal favorite . The dark , cherry red flowers were beautiful and giving from early summertime to ice . It also had a obtuse , heavyset habit , whereas many other selections had comparable but looser habit . While fall salvia did n’t winter for us , seedlings sprouted each spring in our trial beds . They were not abundant , however .

UNCOMMON OPTIONS WORTH TRACKING DOWN

Red velvet salvia ( S. confertiflora ) was hand - down my favorite in the trial . It possess a brazen-faced quality that was accentuated greatly by its vibrantly dark flowers . lucullan corrugated leaves , dark reddish stems , and a vase - shape manakin gave it a handsome summertime character . In dramatic way , bright reddish - orange prime clasp in fuzzy , coloured , crimson - orange tree calyces made their first appearance in former fall . The modest flowers were crowded together on slender velvety scarlet wand that jutted above the dark green leaf . Like all late bloomers , red velvet salvia has an eye - bulge out flowered display that was at the whim of the capricious autumnal conditions . Our best show was two fabulous months of florescence in 2017 before a killing frost hit on November 22 . But no matter how long or light the bloom , I cordially recommend carmine velvet salvia to any and all adventurous gardeners .

Bolivian salvia ( S. oxyphora ) is just one of many exotic salvias in the tribulation that come from Central and South America . I was captivated by the computer architecture of the large green terminal bloom buds before it bloomed but was not prepared for the blistering pinkish spectacle that followed . Beginning in midsummer , über - fuzzy shiny pink flowers popped out , blooming steadily to frost . I never lost my enthrallment for the flower structure and bloom pattern of this salvia . glistening green leaves with a wrinkly texture were a well-favored foil for the whimsical peak . Bolivian salvia had a strong bushy use , although the stems were a short unannealed and now and again damage by wind . I ca n’t say I ever mark a hummingbird on Bolivian salvia , but it always had so many human visitor that I would ’ve had trouble seeing one .

Of all the salvias , I think Andean silver salvia ( S. discolor ) had the most charismatic heyday . Its deep majestic - black blossoms peek shyly out of weeping silvery chartreuse calyces were both exquisite and oddly subtle at the same meter . The downy calyx look either more flatware or more unripe depending on the timbre of ambient light . The stem and undersides of the green leave were lustrous bloodless and sticky , with a sweet bubblegum scent . Its habit was bushy to loose and temporary , which was expected because it ’s actually a scandent , or feeble climbing perennial . I would grow this in a container that ’s dead localise for up - finis showing .

At nearly 60 inches , ‘ Limelight ’ Mexican bush salvia ( S. mexicana‘Limelight ’ ) was one of the tallest plant in the trial and will in all probability be heavy in warm position . Its lustrous , heart - chassis leaves and enforce vase - shape habit provide bold - texture and luxuriance all summertime . Generous spikes of foresighted , dark , purple - blue-blooded flowers cancel by lustrous yellow green calyces were the crowning feeling . While borne in profusion , the blossom did n’t candid for us until midfall , which count a great bargain if a hoar comes ahead of time . In a warm autumn when Robert Frost was retard , the flower show was phenomenal .

The fuzzy , bright , silvery white leaves of Canary Island salvia ( S. canariensisvar.candidissima ) appear more like Jerusalem salvia ( Phlomis fruticosa , Zones 8–10 ) or lamb ’s spike ( Stachys byzantina , Zones 4–8 ) than any of its neighboring salvia . Clusters of light lavender flowers held in purple calyces top the argent plants from midsummer to frost . The dumbly bushy habit suffered at times from the heavy flowers weighing down the theme , looking fountainesque at best and open bowl - like at worst . Canary Island salvia ’s woolly character suggests its affinity to sunny , dry gardens . Try it with other heat - lover in a container where water can be controlled .

The large , dark , orangish - crimson flowers and muzzy disastrous - purple calyx of ‘ Painted Lady ’ lash salvia ( S. blepharophylla‘Painted Lady ’ ) were beyond sexy . The exotically colored blooms were profuse from early summer to frost , but they procrastinate a bit during the red-hot periods , indicating that some afternoon specter is idealistic . Eyelash salvia ’s name come from the lilliputian fuzz that line the margins of the glossy leaves . ‘ Painted Lady ’ boasts reliable dark imperial stems and regal - tinged farewell that wide-ranging in intensity throughout the summertime . Our plants had nifty mounded habit and never show the rhizomatous nature ‘ Painted Lady ’ has in places where it is a perennial . The flamboyant heyday and sheeny leaf make an rare and exhaustively satisfying combination .

See the comparison chart for all 107 salvia tested in this run .

Tender salvias at a glance

Salvias are in general undemanding , easy - aid flora . However , they do have a series of unique traits that make them particularly noteworthy .

▸ Conditions : They develop good in moist , well - drain dirt , although some — such as pineapple salvia , Canary Island salvia , and West Texas grass salvia — are drought insubordinate . fond to high spook is recommended in red-hot climates for autumn salvias , eyelash - leave salvias , and Bolivian salvia , among others .

▸ Pollinators : Hummingbirds flitting around the salvias caused quite a stir with visitors and photographers alike . skinny collisions were a day-by-day and often comical happening . Although our observations were anecdotal , what looked to be the hummingbirds ’ slight preference for blue and purple flowers was intriguing . Bees and butterflies were more catholic in their perceptiveness , exuberantly sampling all colors , including gloomy ( figure ) .

▸ Diseases / Pests : Although the salvias were fuss free , they can be affected by powdery mold , rust , stem rot , fungal leaf spot , whitefly , aphids , and wanderer mites . Most sage are insubordinate to deer and rabbits because of their perfumed foliage .

▸ Deadheading : move out spent efflorescence promotes longer flowering and is often recommended , but we observed continuous bloom of youth all summer even without pruning or fertilizing .

▸ Native chain / validity : Many of the tender salvias come from south of the U.S.-Mexico border , so winter robustness was not expected in cool zone . The only salvia with one or more plants last our Chicago wintertime were ‘ La Trinidad Pink ’ ( S. microphylla‘La Trinidad Pink ’ , pictured ) , cedar tree salvia ( S. roemeriana ) , and West Texas grass salvia .

▸ Frost : The sage reacted differently to meek frost — some quickly turned grim , while others droop or drop leaf yet continued to flower until a killing frost .

▸ Flowering : Starts in former summertime and ends with frost . Salvias ’ flowered presentation pack more slug than those of their perennial and yearly siblings because the two - lipped flower are cupped in colored , sometimes big calyx . The calyx ( figure ) can be an analogous or a contrasting colour to the flower , and it usually stay vibrant and dogged after the efflorescence have fallen away .

▸ Propagation : This is done by taking tip cuttings and rooting ( pictured ) or by seeding .

Richard Hawke is plant evaluation manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe , Illinois .

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