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Carolina Gardening

Salvia-greggii - Cherry Chief

18 years ago

it started blooming yesterday and is FULL of buds - I didn't realize it would bloom so early - is this normal??????? - I took a chance and hacked it WAY back last fall and it put on new growth off and on all winter depending on the temp swings we were having - I have never had salvia so healthy looking - Black and blue has a ton of shoots emerging from the ground too....

Lynne

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Comments (8)

alicia7b
18 years ago
A salvia blooming now?? Wow, that does seem early! I have a Salvia greggi that I grew from seed last year that has stayed green all winter -- it's a pale lemon yellow like the cultivar "Moonlight". (I got the seed from a trade with Shari -- thanks Shari!) I don't think it's going to bloom for a while.

My black and blues started shooting up in the last two weeks. I like those -- not tender and they don't need perfect drainage to make it through the winter.
lynnencfan
Original Author
18 years ago
I will try and get a picture of it tomorrow - there are two blooms and all the tips are showing buds and many are showing color but not open yet - I would say by next week it will be fully in bloom - I also have Shasta daisies that are showing white and will be open any day and budded clematis - I just don't ever remember anything so early....

Lynne
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brenda_near_eno
18 years ago
Many greggi's are evergreen here unless we have a very hard freeze. Mine are all budded out too. A frost won't hurt them.
Phylla
18 years ago
Yep, my Cherry Chiefs just started blooming, too. Dark Dancer and S. microphylla are green, but no sign of bloom yet.
shari1332
18 years ago
My Cherry Chief is budded to bloom as well. I need to cut it back this year it's getting very woody. Will I slow the bloom for spring if I keep waiting?

Alicia, it bloomed yellow for you last year? I didn't start mine last year. You insprired me to sow the seed this morning. I had another seedling I got at the spring swap that was labeled as a peach greggii that bloomed white. The white is the most evergreen for me so I didn't mind.

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alicia7b
18 years ago
Shari, yes a very pale lemon yellow but definitely yellow -- a very nice color. The flowers are large too. I really like it.
lynnencfan
Original Author
18 years ago
Here is a picture of my Cherry Chief - it is going to be fantastic this spring - I also have 'Watermelon' but it hasn't budded yet. I think I will look at getting more cultivars of these - I am liking them a lot

{{gwi:562661}}

Lynne
hbwright
18 years ago
I have tried for the past couple years to find local Black and blue but failed. Every year I say I am going to order it but for some reason I don't for hopes of finding it local. LOL.

The only salvia I have budding is the verticillata-purple rain but most have stayed green all winter and the Mexican bush sage is really springing up. I always get spring buds but no blooms on that one. I wish just one year it would give me a couple spring blooms but it is worth the wait.

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