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Simple salvia question I hope: perennial or not?
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Posted by sandyinva 7A (My Page) on Fri, Jun 27, 08 at 18:02
| I saw a deep blue violet salvia at my local nursery. The girl behind the counter was not sure if it was a perennial or not for Zone 7. Which salvia varieties are perennial to this zone? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Simple salvia question I hope: perennial or not?
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| If you are in Virginia (I an guessing by your logon name), it could be S. guaranitica. Also, S. farinacea x longispicata Indigo Spires is another possibility. Uliginosa, reptans, and a few others qualify. If you are in a Mediterranean zone 7, you can do the Euro Asian ones like pratensis, nemerosa, etc. These won't weaken with subtropical heat. That is why knowing what state you are from is a big help. |
RE: Simple salvia question I hope: perennial or not?
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| Yes, I am in Virginia; I wil try to get back there tomorrow to find out the exact variety. It was a dark blue purple and was placed near a white and a pink of the same variety. Flowers were larger, and more vibrant than than the lighter blue salvia that were placed in the perennial section. |
RE: Simple salvia question I hope: perennial or not?
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| Sounds like S.nemerosa carradona, marcos or possibly maynight mixed in with Snow Hill and rose sensation or rose queen.We will see. |
RE: Simple salvia question I hope: perennial or not?
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| Well, this is self limiting; I found out today that it is definitely an annual here. sigh. I eally wanted a deep blue near my day lilies. |
RE: Simple salvia question I hope: perennial or not?
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| You should look for Salvia guaranitica, which should certainly be perennial where you are. There is the typical species, which has large blue flowers and green calyces (the cup-like things each flower grows from) and a variety called Black and Blue, which has become more common in nurseries and differs from the species in having blackish calyces. I grow the species in central Pennsylvania and it returns from the roots each spring, although a little more slowly than I would like. It blooms typically by mid-July and continues until frost. This is perhaps the bluest blue flower you can grow, in my opinion, and it slowly spreads so it can be divided. I think you should be able to find this plant at some of you local nurseries, and certainly through mail order. Now is a good time to plant and have large, flowering specimens by fall which should overwinter. I cover mine with a thick layer of leaves which I remove in may, but they also come back if I fail to cover a few. |
RE: Simple salvia question I hope: perennial or not?
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| Thank you, Ladyslipper, that sounds like just what I am looking for to plant. I will head out to a larger nursery today or order it if I do not find them. |
RE: Simple salvia question I hope: perennial or not?
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| Salvia patens is turning out to be perennial for me here, and I'm north of you. It has gorgeous deep blue flowers. |
RE: Simple salvia question I hope: perennial or not?
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| You must have it in good drainage, and mulch it in winter. It is tuberous, and remains dormant in the winter (avoid wet and cold). In the summer, it will get cooked in hot, humid weather in North Carolina. I have not tried it in a rock garden scree. |
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