Well Kristi, Im not JD..but that is one beautiful plant...I thinks I planted mine in some of the wrong places...I bought about 9 this spring...
Are they annuals or perennials?
Dena

Hi Dena :). They are tender perennials and bloom from spring until frost. They can tend to flop over, but they say if you keep them pruned and pinched, they won't flop. I haven't done any pruning yet. They are supposed to be hardy to zone 7 but will die to the ground each winter.

And yeah, you have to give them plenty of room :). They do best in full sun. Just behind this one is a tomato cage and the tomato is doing it's best to outgrow it, but thus far the salvia is winning. I never dreamed that anything would grow faster than a tomato plant!

Kristi

Hey, Kristi -
That is spectacular! I got some salvia from Carrie - not sure if they are the same. Mine are still in the pot - haven't had a calm day with no rain to start X-ing out the bermuda to start the beds. I know now I'll put those up on the retaining wall with LOTS of sun!!
(maybe some of 'my' hummers went to YOUR house)
; - )
J.D.

That is one beauty, Kristi. And, JD, the one you got from me is Black and Blue Salvia. I do not have the Indigo Spries as yet, but you can bet I will before long.

"maybe some of 'my' hummers went to YOUR house"

Yeah, they said the pickins were pretty slim over there ;). I don't know if Carrie has any of the Indigo Spires. I also have Henry Duelberg (purple) and Augusta Duelberg (white) and Lady in Red (duh, red!) and a couple of the salvia gregii (pink/fuschia). They seem to prefer the Indigo Spires, then the gregiis. I know Carrie has some of the gregii. I am going to start trying to root some cuttings from the Indigo when we get a little dryer weather. Holler when you get your beds in, I may have extras.

Kristi

Carrie, I didn't see your post before I replied to JD. I can give you cuttings, or root some for you.

JD, I also have the Black and Blue. Mine are young plants and are not blooming yet, but you are going to LOVE that salvia. Carrie's are already blooming :).

Carrie, if there's any others you would like to have from the ones I mentioned above, let me know. I planted the elephant ears with some caladium bulbs. Can't wait till they all get cranked up :).

Kristi

Kristi - Carrie and I will bring the bass boat and fill'er up.

Hey Im on 'a' lake..just pass my way on ya'lls way out..lol!
I have hog wire that I cut and put around my hibiscus and it tends to keep it upright thru all the winds I get here on the lake...It never shows because the hibiscus gets large enough to cover it..but it really does keep it upright...I cut it about 18" tall and stick it in the ground around the base (in a circle)...maybe I should do this for my salvia too!??? it should keep it upright too...I should get cutting right away..
Thanks Kristi for posting the info...
Dena

JD, if you bring a bass boat anywhere within 50 feet of me, you can forget about getting any gardening done. I live 3 minutes from the lake and used to fish tournaments. It's been a long time since I did any bass fishing though and I miss it :).

Dena, the short circular fence is a good idea. How big are the holes in hog wire?? What I did this year for a rose support is cut a length of CRW (concrete reinforcing wire) with 5 inch holes in it and made an arch of it that is about 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall. I put it right over the rose so that it could grow right up through the holes. If this works out well, I'm going to try it with the salvias if I have some flopping issues :). BUT...I wouldn't mind using something with smaller than 5 inch holes :).

The CRW I'm using is rusted and I really like the way it *disappears* against the mulch. I live on a windy hill and am always looking for ideas to help everything stay upright. LOL, thanks for your *support*, snork!

Kristi

I have had Indiago Spires for 8 years. It does frezze back, but always comes back out in the spring. No need to start cuttings. Dig down where one of the stems is coming out of the ground. Most of those stems have roots.
I potted up about 10 for the spring swap here. about once a year I dig up part of the plant and plant it in another spot.

I have it beside the drive way along with mealy blue and Mexican bush salvias..

Kristi, I have neither Indigo Spires nor Lady in Red, and I would love to have a start of them. I have Henry Duelberg thanks to Barbara, and that is one great salvia. I have at least 5 different colors of the greggii's and I love them as well. I am always breaking a limb off them so I usually have some rooted when someone wants them. Just found out from Jolana that the rather large plant with the "light" blue flowers that your mom was admiring is Bog Sage. It has gotten so large this year and is just blooming away.
JD, I like the bass boat idea -- we could fish first, and then fill 'er up with plants. Let me know when to be ready with my sharp shooter.

Kathy, digging shoots would be easier but this is a first season plant and I would rather not do any root digging until this fall. For now, I'll just do cuttings. I want to have some good and ready for fall swapping :).

Carrie, I wish I had known that you don't have Lady In Red. I just thought you had everything, LOL. I'm sure you've heard that they re-seed readily so I have lots of babies I could have dug for you and brought last week :(. I'll get those dug today and start taking cuttings of the Indigo as well. What colors of the gregii do you have? By the way.....I haven't said anything, but I thought this was so funny. The gaura that you brought to the Neal Sperry show for me?....well I think it's a gaura gregii ;). Amazingly, it looks just like my hot pink/fushia salvia gregii. Sooo, I know you have that color, LOL. What else ya got?

Kristi