without knowing your location it would be impossible to suggest plants that would bloom year round. What blooms yearround for one some don't bloom all year for others.

Penny

I agree. The greggiis will bloom in USDA Zones 4 to 6 most of the summer, unless there are really extended hot spells. In USDA Zone 7 to 9 in subtropical southeastern USA, they bloom in the balmy transition periods in spring and fall. Many straight guaranitica species bloom from spring to fall with no interruptions. The hardest month to get blooms will be from late December to mid-March, unless you are in southern California or Florida, or have a greenhouse.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your responses. I live in northern california in the central valley where my pineapple salvia blooms almost year round.

By the way Rich, I sent you an email yesterday.

I'm not sure if they carry it any longer, but I purchased a microphylla ('Belize Form') from Capital Nursery in Sacramento about 4-5 years ago. This huge beauty merely pauses between full bloom in late winter or so, and even then, it never truly stops. It receives partly to mostly shady conditions, and I only water it when I feel guilty.

You can probably see the Camellia (light pink flowers) blooming just behind it, so this was taken some time in Jan.-Feb. of this year. The Salvia is even taller now, obscuring the Camellia from view. :)

I also had a lot of bloom from my S. corrugata throughout the winter, and the 'Anthony Parker' held its blooms for a long time, as well.

Brenda

Hi Brenda,

Thanks for posting the nice picture. That is a big plant. How big will it get? Have you ever pruned it back? I wonder if my pineapple salvia will get this big also. Does it have any fragrance? Next time I go to Capital Nursery, I will have to look for this one.

Does the Salvia microphylla ('Belize Form') have a burgundy stripe running along the stem, and does the foliage have a minty, somewhat fruity scent? This would make it the Huntington Botanic Garden strain, which does come from Belize. This accession grows at a lower latitude and altitude than most other microphylla forms.

That's it exactly, Rich. The foliage scent is wonderfully minty with just a touch of fruitiness, and it's the one I most enjoy stopping to smell while in the garden. The leaves are slightly sticky, as well.

I've never pruned it back, Kal. From what little information I was able to find on it when I bought it, it was only supposed to be something like 4'h x 5'w, but it has definitely exceeded its width. :) It's planted on a built-up area around my creek, so it's right around 4-4 1/2 ft. tall now, and it's already across the creek, as well as heading toward the Camellia behind it. I have NO idea how much bigger it will get.

I'm pretty sure your pineapple sage won't get this large, Kal. And if it does, I'll need a sample of your water and soil. LOL

Brenda

You got it, Brenda. :-) I am glad to hear that the pineapple sage will not get that big or I will have some serious pruning to do in a few years.

Salvia chiapensis blooms year-round here in zone 9. S. greggii usually blooms during that time too, as long as it doesn't get too chilly (low 30s).

Jen

Hi Brenda,

I came across this posting as I was doing a search. How big are your salvia's now? FYI, my pineapple sage is about 6' tall. Is that normal for around here?

Hi, Kal!

Well...I made the mistake of severely pruning back my wonderfully lush and HUGE microphylla in the pic above. I knew better, from posts on here about possibly killing it by doing so. It still has a few branches alive and blooming, but I pretty much destroyed it with my hack job.

:(

On a lighter note...my elegans made it through the week of low-20s temps we had in January. It has grown and spread even more this year, with it's height in bloom being about 5 1/2 feet tall. It's spread is at least 4', but I'm going by memory (since it's too early to be out there measuring...:D). {{gwi:497324}} from last week (while standing uphill from it, and holding the camera up over my head). :D

It's so great to hear yours is thriving!

Brenda

Thanks for posting a picture, Brenda. Did you collect a lot of seeds from your plant? I wonder if the seeds will bloom true.

I haven't tried collecting any seed from it yet, Kal. I'm sure they would come true, unless the hummers and bees have influenced things to the contrary. :)

Brenda