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Pruning S. greggii

13 years ago

We have a handful of S. greggii including the luscious 'Raspberry Royale' and 'Hot Lips'. I am WAY behind on my pruning due to illness and other commitments. All of them have been blooming their heads off for months on end, and have reached their mature size (here, that would be 5-1/2 feet wide, and 3-4 feet tall.

I came across a personal gardening web site (in Australia) that describes a method of pruning S. greggii by cutting the side stems first, and then -- when the sides begin to fill out again -- thin out the middle section.

These plants are only a couple of years old and already very woody at the base. Is that due to my delinquent pruning practices, or is it just the nature of these plants? Rather than removing the old wood at the base, should I just leave it alone (unless it is dead or in the way), and prune the stems down to the new growth in early spring?

Can I prune it as much or as little as I want?

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Comments (3)

rich_dufresne
13 years ago
First, it would be helpful to give us info on your floral zone. It sounds like a warm Mediterranean climate from your description. Rainfall periods and duration and soil type is also a good thing to include.

From your description, you sound like you have good conditions to layer lateral stems to start new plants, which is what I would do for plants at this stage of maturity. Big ones do not transplant well, and layering to form new crowns is how they more or less stay in one place.

I would not prune them too severely, but you could experiment once you have layered starts should the experiment backfire. What is the diameter of the wood you want to cut?.
jenn
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi Richard - my zone is shown after my name, USDA 9, Sunset 19. I'm in southern CA, with rainy winters, hot dry summers, clay (amended)soil.

I would love to start some new 'Raspberry Royale' -- it's a beautiful shrub and I love the color of the deep pink blooms (I believe I purchased it from you). Our S. 'Anthony Parker' and 'Indigo Spires', and S. microphylla 'San Carlos Festival' have produced new plants by layering on their own (again, thanks to my delinquent/lazy pruning schedule) which has produced some new plants, so yes we seem to have good conditions for that.

With respect to the woody base -- I don't feel compelled to cut it out. Mainly, I'm wondering if it is the result of my practices (late pruning, or none at all), or our soil, or if it is a problem at all. If it is not a problem and the plants will remain productive, then I'll leave it alone and just deadhead and give a light haircut. Otherwise, if the woody base is a sign of neglect, or a sign of a short life, what can I do to prevent it?
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I will definitely leave them until spring. They are too beautiful to risk moving right now. That's interesting about the stream. I hadn't thought of that since it is full sun. That might explain the reason why these salvia have bloomed non-stop since April? As for my other greggii, the 'Cherry Queen' are on the southwest side of the house and aren't leaning. They are very upright, but I planted them this past spring. The 'Dark Dancer' are the oldest greggii in my garden, probably 4 years old. They are straight up, but they are out in the meadow garden with nothing but open sky. The 'Navajo Bright Red' are on the north side of a weeping willow. The woody part of each is straight, but the blooms turn toward the east. They are planted on a steep slope. The 'Diane' is on the other side of the stream and is facing straight up, with blooms in all directions. The 'Texas Sage' is in front of the roses and is straight up. The roses are on the south, and so this sage gets east-west sun. It's being shaded by tall zinnias right now! This is the 'autumn sage' in a photo taken in mid-July. The stems are much longer now and it is still blooming. The lavender-blue groundcover beneath it is Heliotropium amplexicaule 'Azure Skies' which is a creeping, perennial heliotrope (not like the fragrant annual) a great companion for salvias. Thanks! Cameron
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hybridsage
13 years ago
Jenn:
My prunning is done every year. Beginning in January
and finishing in February.All my S.greggii, microphylla
lycioides and hybrids get a hair cut. Our weather is such that this is not a problem. Even this year going to 17 degree's for 3 day's. It does help keep the plants looking nicer with better bloom too. By prunning this makes the plants branch lower as spring growth resumes. All the stored energy is going to the new growth so with a second prune you really get good branching support and structure.
In your Zone 9 climate you could start prunning in January.
Art

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