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There are more than 900 species of salvia, with at least as many shapes, textures, and colors. All salvias are in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and have square stems, opposite leaves, and bilaterally symmetrical flowers (mirror images). What the culinary world calls sage, are salvias too; Salvia officinalis–save it for your herb garden or plant along with your other salvias.
Once established, after about a year, salvias need little water which is just right for our drought years. I have tried several types of salvia with various degrees of success.
Several years ago I purchased 2 4-inch Salvia brandegeei Pacific Blue from Floral Native Nursery in Chico. These are in a border along the south side of my house, a very hot location. Right now the 2 foot stems are covered with the green, lance-shaped pebbled leaves; later they’ll have lavender-blue flowers with darker bracts. These are California natives, so with once or twice a month deep watering they do fine.
Well, they didn’t do fine, not sure Why, lost them all. Have replanted this border with Salvia x sylvestris May Night which grew to 2-2.5 feet tall and wide. They have oblong medium green slightly scalloped fuzzy leaves and three-quarter inch dark violet flowers with darker bracts. We’ll see how they do in this spot.
I bought Salvia microphylla Hot Lips at the Redding Garden Club’s plant sale years about and planted it on the east side of my house. It is evergreen, as are most salvia, grown into 4’x4’ mound and has blooms that are red with a touch of white almost all year round. I prune it only occasionally.
In 2011 I purchased 6 4-inch pots of Salvia greggii Navajo Bright Red at the local Walmart. They are planted along a walk against a lattice fence. They’ve grown to 2 ½-3 feet tall and just as wide, of course the flowers are “Navajo Bright Red’, they attract bees, and bumblebees too, butterflies and hummingbirds. I didn’t get around to pruning it this year so it had flowers all year. One of my neighbors keeps bees so we had bees all year too! Usually, I prune it back by ½ in late winter—don’t be afraid to prune.
Buy a few salvias that fit our Climate Zone, keep them with moderate water the first year and see what happens, you’ll love it!
Red Bluff Garden Club welcomes visitors and new members. Please join us the last Tuesday of each month, except July and December, at 12:30 p.m. at the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall on David Avenue in Red Bluff. Hope to see you at our Fall Luncheon at Rolling Hills on Saturday, Oct. 8.
The Red Bluff Garden Club is a member of Cascade District, California Garden Clubs, Inc., Pacific Region Garden Clubs, Inc., and National Garden Clubs, Inc.
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