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Which Salvia is your absolute favorite?

19 years ago

Wow, so many of you have quite a collection of Salvia!

Which is your favorite and why?

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Comments (19)

MissSherry
19 years ago
It's a toss up between s. guaranitica - the species or B&B - and s. regla. Salvia regla would win if it bloomed as long as s. guaranitica - unfortunately it only blooms in late fall after the hummers have left. The butterflies, especially the sulphurs, just go crazy for it! It makes the biggest blooms of any I grow.
Sherry
CA Kate z9
19 years ago
S. involucrata "Mulberry Jam", closely followed by the S. leucanthas.
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sierrahiker
19 years ago
Very unusual two tone red and white ,blossoms all year in 8and 9. cuttings take in spring and fall, easy maintennance,2'3'tall , upright
myenawine
19 years ago
I have so many. I guess it depends on where I have them..

I really like S. scutellarioides, and keep it in a great big pot. Salvia sinaloensis, is another favorite of mine, and was one of the first Salvias, along with a couple of greggiis and an "Indigo Spires" that I bought.

Salvia "Sierra San Antonio" is another favorite, and I love it in dappled shade.

S. melissodora is fabulous; S. cacaliaefolia is great in a hanging basket and I've found it will root easily everywhere it touches soil (as will the scut)...do I have to have just one favorite?
skrip
19 years ago
You just cant beat the hardiness and strength of the good'ol Mexican Bush Sage! Other Salvias are pretty as well, but you can kick, cut, chop, rip this baby and it comes right back twice as beautiful!

I do like a Salvia Blue Angel's flowers, but it didnt survive my fall pruning and this past winter :-(
penny1947
19 years ago
from what i currently have I would have to say it is definitely S. Guaranitica Black & Blue. The color is gorgeous and it is the first plant my hummers go to.

penny
jamlover
19 years ago
I'm with penny__ even though it has to be brought in in my zone 4-5. S.Guaranitica Black & Blue. I gave a talk for master gardeners earlier this week and had enough cuttings off my mother plant so they each got one or two. Hummers think it's the best. And can you match the blue color!!! Jean
skrip
19 years ago
you can grow more B&Bs from cuttings? I have one that I would love to make bigger. Do I just pull a leaf and plant?
jdockter
19 years ago
Hands down my favorite is S. clevelandii "Alan Chickering". California native, hummingbird favorite, requires no watering and smells great, especially on warm nights.

Jennifer
Temecula
19 years ago
Skipp, I took some cuttings of several salvias by cutting a small section of stem about 4 or 5 inches long. Make sure that your length of stem has at least three sets of leaves along it and do not choose one that is flowering. Pull off all the leaves and plant in potting soil. Keep moist. That's about it.

I LOVE my s. guarantica B&B for that gorgeous cobalt blue and for my hummingbirds. I also second Mulberry Jam for its burgundy pink flowers. These two salvias look good planted near each other, by the way!
jamlover
19 years ago
My first B and B cuttings went right in the soil around the mother plant (maybe five or six together) and were covered with plastic bottles. B and B actually has tubers under it sort of like dahlias and send out stolens or runners underground. I keep cuttings short, buring 2/3 of what I cut off, leaving just a pair of leaves above the soil. Just be sure to bury one leaf node (where you have removed the leaves). (That cover to hold a little moisture in lets you know when to water and then just watch for new growth. When new growth starts, give a little half strength plant food. It will probably take 6 to 9 weeks for them to be ready to be potted up.
MissSherry
19 years ago
I've rooted s. guaranitica just by sticking a piece in the ground in a shady place and keeping it moist - it's one of the easiest plants to root I've ever tried!
Sherry
mboston_gw
19 years ago
I just bought a Saliva yesterday tht was blue - I think it is sinaloensis. It is listed as a perennial. Is yours blue, Myenawine? I have looked for the Black and Blue, Guaranitica here and can't find it or the Pineapple one either. Anyone around Central Florida found these?
myenawine
19 years ago
Is it rather short, with purple and green leaves? Take a look at the link below...

Here is a link that might be useful: S. sinaloensis
Temecula
19 years ago
mboston, I'm not in Florida, but check Home Depot for pineapple salvia. I have seen it with the herbs. If you cannot find it, you can mail order it from Canyon Creek. Good Luck!
mboston_gw
19 years ago
Thanks Temecula, I am making a trip down there tomorrow.
Myenawine - yep, that's it. How tall does it get?
skrip
19 years ago
mboston, it doesn get very tall (S.Sinaloensis). I would say about a foot or so, but it becomes more of a groundcover. At least thats my experience. I have just let it grow wild (with heavy pruning in the fall/winter).
ric_oregon
19 years ago
S. chipensis, the shiny, deely veined leaves adds to the beauty of this plant. Long season of fuchsia colored blooms that the hummers love. They also use the stems to perch on. It is tender, no signs of growth yet. It will be replaced by three if needed.
penny1947
19 years ago
My salvia guaranitica B&B has rooted very easily and quickly from cuttings. Following the above mentioned methods. I put them in moist soil covered them with a plastic tent and just watched for new growth on the cuttings. I have 3 right now from cuttings that I took from the main plant I was overwintering inside that was starting to get way too tall.

Penny

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