Sage And Salvia - Twins And Brothers, Salvia Species

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Salvia is a wonderful garden decoration

Salvia in landscape composition

"Against the power of death, sage grows in gardens …" - such verses were composed by the ancient Greeks, believing in the miraculous power of this plant.

Sage is a very decorative shrub with silvery-green, elongated-oblong, seemingly velvety leaves, familiar to everyone as a medicinal plant and a spice. It grows in almost every garden. Salvia officinalis (Salvia officinalis) belongs to the numerous Lamiaceae family. Its other name is salvia.

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The name of the plant comes from the Latin word salvare, which means to save, to protect.

In Russian, it is customary to call a medicinal plant and a spice sage, and decorative species - salvia. Salvias represent the whole Universe!

The genus Salvia (Salvia), numbering more than 900 species (plus tens and tens of varieties of hybrids), is common on all continents, from the tropics to temperate zones. More than half grows in America, of which 300 are only in Mexico, others are of African origin, for some, the homeland is the Mediterranean basin of Europe, the Balkans, Turkey. Salvia grows even in China and Japan.

Decorative compact bushes up to 20-60 cm high, strewn with bright flowers, collected in racemose inflorescences with beautiful leaves, often having a pleasant aroma, long flowering period and good adaptability to local conditions, create a real flower show in the garden! And with the appropriate choice of Salvia varieties, you can have a "corner" decorated with flowers all year round.

Salvias of all colors

Salvia greggii - raspberry royale

The genus Salvia includes many annual varieties, but mostly it is a uniquely beautiful perennial with forms ranging from tiny low rosettes (Salvia x superba) with beautiful blue or pink flowers, or with bushes reaching a meter in height, for example, various varieties of Salvia Greggii with snow-white, red, pink flowers, gathered in flower "spikelets". In their homeland, salvias are often evergreens.

Perhaps there is no more favorable plant to have shrubs in the garden with flowers of all shades obtained in the year they were planted.

Salvia are planted in independent groups, creating a "flower" carpet, as well as in single plantings, on lawns, in borders, on terraces, balconies, in vases, "embroidering" flower beds and flower beds with bright, shiny flowers.

One of the charming representatives of this numerous genus, which must be grown in the garden, is the salvia jamensis La-siesta, whose bushes, from early spring to the very frost, are covered with delicate pink flowers, from which a very pleasant aroma emanates. It is better to plant it in a separate free space in the garden in order to be able to appreciate the beauty and tenderness of the plant.

It will look beautiful if you plant it with lavender, small santolina bushes with silvery leaves, or decorative cereals when creating a mixed border.

With a small garden area, salvia can be grown in containers.

All varieties of the fine salvia greggi (Salvia greggii) are suitable for this. With it, even under the hottest summer sun, your garden will not lose its decorative effect. Its sprawling bush with glossy green leaves throughout the warm season will be constantly dotted with bright pink-purple or white flowers, in dark "cups" of sepals. The first flowers appear at the end of April, and the last ones in December. A vase with salvia greggi will decorate not only the garden, but also the terrace and balcony.

Not far from the house, you can place unika salvia with "fluffy" leaves with a delicate aroma and sky-blue flowers.

Salvia discolour, an original plant from Peru, will become a real precious decoration of the terrace.

The discolored salvia got its name because of the unusual contrasting color of the leaves and sepals: olive green above and silvery white below. This is a very delicate plant, demanding in culture, but for all the cares of caring for it, you will be rewarded when amazing, purple-black flowers appear on long fragile stems, half hidden in a silvery cup.

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Salvia greggii alba

A vase with decorative, twisting-thin stems of discolored salvia, it is better to place on the wall of a house or other hill in order to be able to enjoy a beautiful cascade of numerous flowers that emit a light currant aroma.

Its bloom continues throughout the summer season. The dried leaves can be added to tea for flavor. This type of salvia does not like direct sunlight, preferring partial shade. The plant easily tolerates a slight drought, but is afraid of a drop in temperature below 0 ° C.

Another precious decoration of the garden can be opened salvia (Salvia patens), originally from Mexico, which also grows well in containers. It can be called one of the most beautiful of all types of salvia. This species of Salvia has a unique shade of blue-cobalt flowers, collected in long "spikelets", located on tall, slightly sticky stems (in their homeland they can reach two meters). Fragrant, triangular-shaped, light green leaves are often covered with reddish specks around the edges.

Salvia discolored (discolor)

Its flowering lasts from mid-June to mid-October. Salvia flowers and leaves opened are not only beautiful, but also delicious, they are used in the preparation of salads and sweet dishes. This salvia loves humus-rich land, prefers partial shade, so it will be great to coexist next to a tree or tall shrub. It requires regular watering, it is afraid of frost, so for the winter its tuberous roots are dug up and stored, like the tubers of dahlias. It multiplies easily and blooms the same year after planting.

Its most famous varieties are Cambridge Blue, which has lavender-blue flowers, Chilcombe, which has light purple flowers, White Trophy, which has snow-white flowers.

The leaves of some types of salvia are very decorative in themselves, they have a charming shape with a varied surface: from shiny to "velvety" with numerous shades of green. May have variegated leaves or leaves with two or three colors, such as, for example, Salvia officinalis Tricolor. These leaves are often even more beautiful than the flowers themselves.

Silver salvia (Salvia argentea) is prized for its decorative appearance and ease of growing. In a separate planting, it will cover the garden with a silver carpet or emphasize the elegance of the rose bush in its center.

Salvia tricolor (officinalis tricolor)

Its beautiful, "velvety" leaves, covered with silky fluff, with light denticles along the edges of a silvery-white color. They are slightly raised above the ground and assembled into a wide socket. The leaves are quite large, up to 25-30 cm long and 15-20 cm wide. With such rich leaves, it has rather modest white flowers. This type of salvia is single-fruited, that is, after flowering, the plant dies, therefore it is recommended to remove a barely formed peduncle.

The plant easily propagates by self-sowing, it is enough only that the place is sunny and the land is well-drained.

Mealy salvia (Salvia farinacea) is an ornamental thermophilic plant that blooms luxuriantly with purple-blue flowers from summer to autumn. The goblet sepals make this salvia beautiful even after it has faded. Because of its uniqueness, it looks very beautiful in a single planting in the garden. It can also be used with other annuals to create curbs.

In any weather, the Salvia phlomis chrysophylla garden will bloom with bright yellow-sunny "balls", very decorative even after it has faded.

Salvia minima is also beautiful. This perennial plant has bright red flowers. Planted in the shade of a tree, Salvia minima will make this area unique.

Salvia silver (argentea)

Its beauty is evidenced by the fact that it is the bushes of this salvia that are planted during the formation of the Italian city of San Remo, the city of flowers and music!

In a garden with fragrant herbs, you can plant narrow-leaved or Spanish sage (Salvia lavandulifolia) - an exclusively ornamental plant with silvery foliage, a pleasant aroma and delicate purple flowers that appear in May-June. Its leaves can be used in cooking.

Marsh salvia (Salvia uliginosa) has elongated leaves, carved along the edge, which reach 7 cm in length, and the plant itself can grow up to 2 m in height. Flowers of blue-blue color, densely gathered in spikelets, abundantly cover the plant from late summer to mid-autumn. It is a relatively thermophilic plant with a tuberous root, native to South America.

Autumn-winter salvias

Salvia patens oxford blu

From the end of September, the Salvia leucantha festival begins. Numerous flowers with "fluffy" pink petals and a light border around the edges, collected in elongated spikelets framed by grayish-green leaves with a pointed tip, explode with bright lights of "fireworks" on high stems. This unique beauty of bloom lasts until the temperature drops below zero. And if you plant Salvia leucantha in pots, and move them with the onset of cold weather to a shelter, you can admire its flowering all winter.

Salvia leucantha is native to eastern and central Mexico. The specific name for this type of salvia comes from the Greek leucos, which means white and antro, which means flower.

Salvia leucantha is a short-day flower, therefore it blooms in our regions in autumn, winter and early spring, although it blooms in its native latitudes all year round. The plant reaches 150-160 cm in height and 120-130 cm in diameter. The plant requires pruning, which must be done only after the salvia has faded and the old stems dry up and new shoots appear at the base.

Growing it is very simple. Only well-drained land is required, regular watering in summer, since the plant has a very vigorous growth. At low temperatures, watering should be moderate, it is necessary to avoid rainfall on the plant, since this type of salvia is very afraid of moisture. And for such care, the plant will reward you with abundant flowering in autumn and winter.

Another beautiful autumn species of Salvia is Salvia involucrata, the flowering of which can delight you until the New Year. It has large, light green, heart-shaped leaves, and the bract covers the flowers' corolla like a sheath (hence the name involucrata) before they reveal their beautiful velvet petals. This salvia loves well-lit places, prefers partial shade.

"Blue" carpet can be obtained by planting blue salvia - Salvia azurea - herbaceous, fast growing tall plant in the garden. Its small, pale blue flowers are collected in long spikelets, and the leaves, oblong with a narrow tip, have a pleasant aroma. It is characterized by autumn flowering.

Salvia involucrata Hadspen

But Salvia guaranitica (homeland Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay) - has tall single stems, large heart-shaped leaves with the smell of anise and beautiful spikelets up to 25-30 cm long with bright blue "glasses" of flowers. It blooms in early September, and if you move the plant to a shelter, its flowers will adorn the terrace until May.

Salvia guaranitica Blue Enigma is a short, sprawling bush with deep blue flowers that appear in early June and bloom until frost.

Salvia Salvia cacaliifolia - very suitable for growing in pots. It has decorative pubescent triangular leaves, and on inclined long stems rests an amazingly beautiful dome of blue-white flowers.

In group plantings, creating a "red carpet", you can use red salvia - Salvia coccinea, it grows as a compact bush and has amazingly beautiful "burning" flowers. In culture, its varieties of red varieties are more common: Lady in Red, Forest Fire.

Salvia is brilliant. The most beautiful species of Salvia is Salvia splendens. It is characterized by bright flowers with colors ranging from orange-red to dark purple, its petals shine, hence the name. Long bloom - from June until frost. Salvia brilliant is a thermophilic plant and is poorly preserved in winter, therefore it is grown as an annual. All varieties of brilliant salvia grow well in hot spots, prefer partial shade and moderate watering.

Salvia uliginosa argentina brasili

A very beautiful variety of brilliant Salvia Salvia splendens var. splendens (homeland Brazil). Its bloom is really impressive! The plant is literally completely covered with long spikelets with numerous large, shiny red flowers. The bright green leaves are oval with a pointed tip. Erect stems, finger-thick, almost rectangular in shape.

An excellent variety of brilliant Salvia for the Peach garden. This is an annual herb in the form of a spreading bush, which is densely covered with large peach-colored flowers from early spring. Prefers partial shade.

This Salvia variety Martinus Borg has beautiful spikelets with dark purple flowers. Another of her varieties, Van-Houttei, has a breathtaking beauty of deep red-brick color with an orange tint.

Salvia small-leaved, or myrtle (Salvia microphylla) - originally from Mexico. This type of salvia grows as a dwarf shrub, has light green oval leaves that exude the smell of black currant when rubbed in your hands. Bright red flowers appear on the plant in mid-summer, flowering continues until the first frost.

Read the next part. Growing conditions for salvia →