Carolyn Saft
Contributor
The genus salvia exhibits a wide range of forms and habits and comes in a variety of colors. Most species grow quickly; some reach 5 to 6 feet, while others grow to only 12 inches, making them ideal for plant bed borders. Depending on the species, salvias range in width from 12 inches to 4 feet. There are over 900 species and cultivars.
Salvias are typically easy to grow--they thrive in full sun to partial shade and in well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Salvias do not grow well in saturated, wet soil. They are drought- and salt-tolerant and do not require much fertilizer once established. If you have had problems with animals eating your plants, the good news is salvias are resistant to deer and rabbits.
Many species have a stunning array of showy bracts on their inflorescence, displaying colors ranging from red, purple, pink, fuchsia, yellow and white. Most species have aromatic foliage, but the flowers themselves lack fragrance. During the summer, remove the faded bloom spikes of salvias to encourage continuous flowering.
Several species of salvia are used as culinary herbs, such as sage, rosemary and pineapple sage. Clary sage (Salvia sclarea) is used in perfumes, and some salvias are medicinal (Salvia miltiorrhiza). The fruit type of salvia is a small, dry, four-lobed fruit that breaks apart into four nutlets (schizocarp). Each nutlet contains a single seed. Chia "seeds" are the schizocarpic nutlets of the Chia plant (Salvia hispanica). Nutlets are a favorite food of seed-eating birds, including goldfinches.
Salvias are some of the easiest plants to propagate by stem cuttings or seeds. When sowing seeds, avoid covering them with soil, as they require light to germinate.
Occasionally, if plants do not have good air circulation, are overwatered or fertilized, they can be attacked by whiteflies, aphids or mealybugs. Rust, powdery mildew, stem rot, and fungal leaf spot are disease problems that occur when plants are too wet or not receiving enough sunlight.
Some of my favorite salvias are Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans), Violet Mealycup Sage (Salvia farinacea), native Coral Nymph and Snow Nymph (Salvia coccinea), Autumn Sage (Salvia gregii), Salvia "Rocking Fuchsia" and Salvia "Unplugged," which is white. Add a few of these plants to your landscape to provide food for bees, butterflies and birds!
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