SUPER SALVIAS 2020

Salvia miniata Tender salvia from Mexico, with smooth unscented leaves.

Salvia microphylla "Cerro Potosi"

Salvia greggii "Raspberry Ripple"

Salvia arizonica

Salvia microphylla "Kew Red"

Salvia microphylla hybrid

Salvia microphylla wislizeni

 

What an amazing selection! Only have Cerro Potosi which is hardy for us and such a wonderful pink! I always take cuttings though. All the others are varieties I must look for. What I like about this selection is the variety of leaf! Its something I'm beginning to appreciate the longer I keep Salvias. To begin with its simply a case of keeping them alive and reproducing them. Obviously their colour and other features are foremost but its smaller different features which become more noticeable. We're beginning to notice that many seedlings show size differences. We presumed that this could because of soil/drainage reasons but these days particularly when plants are next to each other, differences can be attributed to biological reasons. Perhaps I'm expecting hybrids to be much more different! I can remember, for example, hoping for ultimately a red coloured Patens!!

 

What an amazing selection! Only have Cerro Potosi which is hardy for us and such a wonderful pink! I always take cuttings though. All the others are varieties I must look for. What I like about this selection is the variety of leaf! Its something I'm beginning to appreciate the longer I keep Salvias. To begin with its simply a case of keeping them alive and reproducing them. Obviously their colour and other features are foremost but its smaller different features which become more noticeable. We're beginning to notice that many seedlings show size differences. We presumed that this could because of soil/drainage reasons but these days particularly when hybridised by accident(!) We might expect bigger differences, like I can remember hoping for a red patens!!

 

@Glynne Williams All of them above are hardy with me and have been outside for least three years a few of them have been outside since around 2000. The exception is the S miniata which is only 18 months from seed. I do take cuttings or have young plants of Amisted, S involuctra and S corrugata. I lost S confertifolia in spring 2018 and haven't found one since.

 

We've always got confertifĺora so we must come up with way to send you one later in the year.

 

@Glynne Williams That would be very kind of you.
I took some cuttings of S guaranatica "Black and Blue" a couple of weeks ago and most have rooted.

 

There must be a secure way of getting in touch privately? Will look into it.

 

I'm still kicking myself about not taking up his offer of a tour before he got ill.

Most salvia seed has a long period of viability - I've germinated seed that was ten years old before. Salvia splendens for one does not last much beyond three years though.

I have - all three of them! One germinated and produced flowers that were different in form but of a very similar colour. Not sure if it was down to hybridisation or reversion though.

Bit of a rushed post as I'm heading off to the river shortly to meet my better half and take her for a picnic in St.James park so I'll add this years Salvia pics at a later date but S.dolichantha is back in bloom..............
Salvia dolichantha by longk48, on Flickr

Salvia dolichantha by longk48, on Flickr

It is my favourite properly hardy Salvia. It is a chinese species that seems happiest with it feet in the shade so I grow it up through 'Nachtvlinder'...............
Salvia dolichantha by longk48, on Flickr

Salvia dolichantha by longk48, on Flickr

 

What an amazing set of pics! The colour is also memorable. Will look for it!

 

They look lovely! I really like the combination of dolichantha's light purple with 'Nachtvlinder''s dark maroon, they are different enough to complement each other beautifully.

Nick

 

Yes I grow Nachtflinder and, at the moment its next to Neon and a darker red plant (memory! And idleness in not going to read my label!) But a darker pink must be superb.

 

If you're referring to S.dolichantha, good luck! I should have seed somewhere though but the colour (and occasionally the form of the plant itself) can be variable.

 

Been looking for it but have family with us! Will buy plants definitely next week and hopefully seeds!

 

Whilst Salvia can be very promiscuous a red S.patens has proven elusive.

 

Exactly! However the many 'blues' I've grown from many seeds have a wide variety of colour and sizes. No, my dream red is about! Just think about the dirty white is about as is the lavender coloured variety that I've managed to lose! One place to go near me before end of season, can't remember the name of the place or the variety! Its my memory you see!