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splitrock_gw

Which red or pink salvia is most cold hardy?

splitrock
11 years ago

My husband and I have seen stunning red , red/white and hot pink salvias in public gardens recently. We would love to grow some at our mountain place (zone 6a). It looks like zone 6 is the limit for the ones I have seen information on, but which of these will best take cold, wet winters in well-drained soil at the top of a long, low retaining wall? Thanks for your help, salvia experts.

Comments (16)

  • kermitc
    11 years ago

    Not many that are Zone 6 hardy and pink or red. One close is Salvia sclarea var turkestanica 'Piemont'. The really showy ones are not going to survive the winter there, but you can do what many folks do - grow as annuals. Many spectacular varieties are fast growing and give a great first year show.

    Kermit

  • hybridsage
    11 years ago

    Don't know which Salvia species you are looking at. Were the
    plants marked with species information?
    Thanks
    Art

  • splitrock
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yes, all were marked. I recall seeing hot lips and marchino. There were others, but those are the only two I can remember.

  • wardda
    11 years ago

    Marachino might make it but microphylla Hot Lips probably won't. If the soil is dry enough you could cut the plants down in late fall, put a plastic sheet over the crowns and then place bags of leaves on top. Since this method can add as much as 3 extra zone of hardiness your plants would probably return. You could also take cuttings and winter them indoors since both make nice plants the first year from cuttings.

  • rich_dufresne
    11 years ago

    I'd recommend Salvia microphylla Wild Watermelon, S. m. San Carlos Festival, and S. greggii Plum WIne and Texas Wedding.

    Therre are some nurseries in the Asheville area that have expertise with these plants.

  • hummersteve
    11 years ago

    I am in zone 6 and there is another option for salvia. After the first frost or two usually november, I cut everything down to the ground maybe just above the crown and cover everything with a tarp or heavy plastic seal the edges and they will come back. Some people also add bags of leaves/mulch on top of more tender plants. I have a bed about 10x25 which I cover with heavy plastic. I have mostly salvia guaranitica and greggii in this bed and they return every year. They stay covered till it warms in the spring maybe early april if we are lucky.

  • wardda
    11 years ago

    Greggii Wild Thing is another hardy one along with Raspberry Delight.

  • rich_dufresne
    11 years ago

    Ward,

    Can you tell the difference between Raspberry Royale and Raspberry Delight? In pots, they seem indistinguishable.

    Are there any differences when set out in beds?

  • wardda
    11 years ago

    It has been some years since I have seen the two side by side and I had trouble telling then - Royale was lost in the shuffle somehow a while back. I am sorry that I am no help. Generally I find the whole group more than little confusing, especially as more and more new seedlings appear and flower. You still have an open invitation to stop on one of your trips to New England. Some of them are quite nice.

    Rich, have you tried some of those new guaranitica types from South America - I have seedlings of Cosquin, Fauba, and MDQ going. And a friend has one called I believe Calamache - not sure of the spelling.

  • rich_dufresne
    11 years ago

    Of those I got from Robin, Cosquin, Blue Enigma (= Blue Ensign?), and the purple form have germinated. I don't recognize the Fauba and MDQ forms.

    Rolando Uria in Buenos Aires seems to have a Salvia garden from heaven. Have you been to his site? They seem more robust there than even in California and Europe.

  • splitrock
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I needed advice from salvia experts, and I really did get just that! Thanks so much for your help. I am a bit amazed that people that I have read about in gardening magazines are responding to my salvia question.

  • DYH
    11 years ago

    I am in 7b North Carolina and these are great in my garden:

    s. greggii 'Texas Wedding' - lovely white, quite robust.
    s. greggii 'Dark Dancer' - a dark, magenta
    s. greggii 'Diane' - a dark, magenta-purple
    s. greggii (may be) 'Navajo Bright Red' - in the 6th year of bloom right now.

    For blue/purple, I grow salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue' , guaranitica 'Black & Blue', salvia uliginosa.

    Cameron

    Here is a link that might be useful: my garden salivas in bloom right now

  • rich_dufresne
    11 years ago

    Navajo Bright Red from Ball Seed is S. greggii x microphylla Cherry Chief. Lots of nurseries carry it under the latter name.

    The Navajo greggiis have been discontinued by Ball, but I understand some may become available again under different names.

    Are any of the other greggii series (Stampede, Mesa, etc) still being distributed? Did I miss any of the other series?

    If anyone is near Raleigh, the Salvia display is still wonderful at the J. C. Raulston Arboretum.

  • wardda
    11 years ago

    Folks I know are still finding Mesa but no one mentions Stampede anymore - these salvias are almost like pop music. Stampede was a nice series. I have a lush seedling that came up near one of the Stampedes, original now long gone, that is a very lush, hardy and heavy flowering plant.

  • penny1947
    11 years ago

    Rich
    I heard from a local nursery owner last month that this was probably going to be the last year for the Mesa series. Last year I purchased a Mesa Scarlet and a Mesa azure from her. The Mesa scarlet didn't return this year but Mesa azure never skipped a beat and stayed green all winter. It was planted in a drier more protected location than the Mesa Scarlets. Right now it is over 2 ft. tall and in full bloom

    On a side note I also had 1 Salvia guaranitica Black & Blue and 2 Scarlet Spires return this year in my zone 6a garden here in WNY. Both were planted in more sandy loam but totally unprotected. Granted it was a very mild winter even for Western NY.
    Penny

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    11 years ago

    I have read that Salvia darcyii survived in the Denver botanical garden. True, that is a dry cold. One could protect it from the rain with some plastic and leaves. They said they had a -5 and snow. I am in Z8b so beyond hearsay, I am the wrong person to talk..

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