Salvia Farinacea "Sally Fun" Blue 15cm

SALVIA BASICS

Color Spires® 'Violet Riot' perennial salvia (Salvia nemorosa). Photo by: Walters Gardens, Inc.

Zones:

Most varieties can be used as perennials in zones 5-9, with some varieties cold hardy to zone 4 or heat tolerant to zone 10.

Height/Spread:

Varieties 1 to 6 feet tall & wide, with most averaging 2 to 3 feet.

Exposure:

Full sun, 6 hours of sunlight a day is needed to promote flowering. There are varieties that will also tolerate partial shade.

Bloom Time:

As a rule, salvias bloom late spring to fall, with some starting a little earlier and others like S. leucantha blooming later.

Colors and characteristics:

Flower spikes bloom in shades of blue, dark purple, lavender, red, pink, white and a rare yellow. The stems are square and have narrow, velvety green leaves.

Salvia types:

Some salvias are considered annuals and others perennials. Among the perennials, there are old-world types that come from Europe and Asia, as well as American natives that come from the western half of the U.S. In addition, some salvias are classified as woody-stemmed shrubs, some are deciduous plants that die to the ground during winter, and others are evergreen.