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Mid-Atlantic Gardening

Black and Blue Salvia (salvia guaranitica)

18 years ago

I am looking for this Brazilian Sage specifically. Has any one seen it at a nursery? I cannot make it to the swap next weekend, my daughter is being baptized!! I do have a little lanterns columbine if anyone may want to trade for this plant. Thanks! Christy

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Comments (13)

gardenpaws_VA
17 years ago
Fortunately, it's becoming pretty common at garden centers that go in for "fancy annuals", though it's still on the pricy side. Places like Behnke's and the big one near Annapolis are almost certain to have it, and you might find a local gardener who has extra or will share a cutting with you.

Depending on where you are in Maryland, you'll very possibly be able to grow it as a perennial (given sufficiently good drainage). It has come back for me 2 years running, and I'm in VA, west of DC.

Robin
christy2828
Original Author
17 years ago
I went to Behnke's, they had a ton of salvia's. But not one guaranitica. I asked someone who worked there if they were gonna get it in, and she said that for the years she's worked there, they've never carried it. I've stopped by the Lowe's and Home Depot several times, and a few other locals around here, but nothing!
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How to keep Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue alive in zone 7?
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Comments (11)
I have different micro-climates in my garden. B&B is planted in many locations in my zone 7 garden. This isn't scientific, but here's my experience with B&B: In the hottest area in my cottage garden: south-facing and protected by the house-- all plants survive; appear earlier; grow larger and bloom the most. Out in the open on the south: they are very slow to emerge in spring -- up to a month later than in the cottage garden . Sometimes, no plant returns from the original 'mother plant' site, but I'll find offspring a few feet away, so always look around and be patient. Half the size of the cottage garden plants, they don't bloom until June. Under a tree (high shade, filtered sun) on the southwest side beside the sidewalk stones that get winter sun: good location for overwintering, so I use it as a holding bed and transplant out into the open garden. East side of the garden: the sun hits this area first in the mornings, while frost is still on the plants and I'm yet to get a B&B to overwinter there. I'm trying again this year and will put flat stones around the base of the plant. I do not cut back any stems on B&B in the fall. Hope this helps. Cameron Here is a link that might be useful: the salvia B&B in my cottage garden
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salvia guaranitica black & blue
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Comments (6)
I live in 6b/7a and have grown Black & Blue for many years in the ground. It doesn't spread quite as quickly as it does in more southern zones but it does expand. If I were wanting a big patch I would order a few to arrive in early March, repot them in larger pots, feed them, and root cuttings from the new shoots. You could quadruple your stock by mid May and so increase your planting. Before you get too hooked on guaranitica Black & Blue you might want to consider your options. Another favorite which blooms better for me is Brazil and last year in its first year here Blue Ensign also did well. A popular one at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania is Kobalt. The key to survival is dry feet in winter and early spring.
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New to Salvias
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Comments (7)
The two general flower color ranges for Salvias are blue-lavender-purple and red-scarlet-fuchsia. The first are designed for bumblebees and honeybees, the second for hummingbirds and other hovering bird pollinators like sunbirds that have color vision. Bees have vision extending into the ultraviolet. The blues are generally small, the reds usually large. Exceptions include guaranitica, which is a large blue flowered sage that is a hummingbird's favorite. Common blue sages include farinacea and its hybrids like `Indigo Spires', reptans, patens, pratensis, nemerosa, hians, urica, chamaedryoides, glechomaefolia, muirii, and sinaloensis. These are either true blue or cobalt blue. The list would be much longer if I added the lavenders and purples.
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Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' - growing inside
Q
Comments (10)
How big should the pot be, relative to the plant/roots? It will probably require a 10 inch pot or larger. The size depends on how easily you can get a modest quantity of fine terminal roots into the pot. If there are rooted stolons (runners), these can be put into smaller pots. What soil mix should I use? Pro-Mix or some other perlite/peat moss mix. Use some slow release fertilizer like Osmocote. Should I keep the pot in the garage, as advised above? That will work. The pot can take light freezing in the garage or unheated sun room. Water or not? Just enough to keep it from drying out and dessicating the plant. Should I take it outside on a sunny winter day when the temperatures are above freezing? Yes, but the nights should be on the warm side as well. When can I haul it out in the spring? When it breaks dormancy, and when most of the frosts have past. And, could it stay in the pot indefinitely? I can keep mine in large pots if I step them up by 2 inches a year. Once you get the plant in the maximum sized pot, it can last for about 2 to 4 years before dividing. Guaraniticas will wind a rope of up to a dozen stolons around the upper part of the rim. If you pull the plant out of the pot, these runners will start expanding almost immediately.
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juliat
17 years ago
Last summer I saw it at Sam's Farm on Route 7 near the East Falls Church metro. End of summer is a good time to look for this sage. Most nurseries around here get plants in just before they go into bloom -- which for 'Black and Blue' salvia is late summer. You could google it to find mail-order nurseries, though.

Last year, someone did bring this to the swap -- so don't give up hope of finding a trader, too.
rosewomann
17 years ago
I saw it at American Plant Food in the herb section for a decent price. That's at the beltway in Bethesda.

Rose
kaffeina
17 years ago
http://selectseeds.com/cgi-bin/start.cgi/2006/html/productdetail.htm?store.prodno=p3270

4.95 from here if you cant' find it anywhere else, i really like select seeds but i've never bought an actual plant from them
cynthia_gw
17 years ago
Check the herb sections of the nurseries. Some include it there or in the tender perennial section. But it's hardy in my gardens. Christy where are you located?
christy2828
Original Author
17 years ago
I'm in Laurel, MD. Thanks!
lvmygrdn
17 years ago
Meadows Farm had it in Clarksburg/Germantown area. Snells in Mt Airy usually carries it as well.
wyldeflwr
17 years ago
Christy! I live in Laurel. I just purchased this at the Lowes on Rt.#1. They had large pots of it for $9.99. I don't usually pay that much for one plant, but it was really huge, loaded with flower buds and looked really great.I too had been searching everywhere for it and no one had it until I stumbled across it at Lowes. I put mine in the ground and hope to overwinter it here. Check it out!
Shirley
christy2828
Original Author
17 years ago
I live right next to that Lowe's and have looked there SEVERAL times! Thanks Shirley, I'll go there tomorrow. :) Christy
vickster257
17 years ago
I am wondering where this plant can be purchased in NJ. I have not seen it at my local Lowe's or in any nursery here. Why is this particular one a favorite as opposed to May night or the other salvias?

Would love to hear your opinion and also if you have seen it in a NJ store or nursery.

Vicki
christy2828
Original Author
17 years ago
I did not find it at the Lowe's. I ended up ordering it online at Burpee.com. The reason I am looking for this Salvia in particular is because it attracts hummingbirds, and I like how it looks. Good luck, Vicki! Christy
jenny_in_se_pa
17 years ago
Vicki - I just found some at one of my local nurseries here this past Friday. They had just received the shipment of that and a number of other hummer salvias (eg., 'Argentine Skies') that day. I think that many of the summer bloomers are being held back by some nurseries until this 3rd week of May to make sure that they can avoid those late late frosts - particularly those places that don't have much greenhouse space. You might want to try doing the rounds again to see if any are now appearing at your favorite spots... I know that I've never seen any over here at Lowes, Wally World, or HD so I don't even bother looking at those places any more.

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