This short-lived perennial from the Himalayas has scented, hairy leaves and forms a small shrub 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide. It bears 1.5-inch-long purplish-blue flowers with white lips (called bee lines) from early to late summer. The flowers are clasped by rusty colored calyxes that accent color of the blooms. Salvias are some of the showiest plants for containers, annual borders, and mixed borders. Butterflies and hummingbirds love them.
CareProvide moist but well-drained soil in full sun; this species tolerates alkaline soil.
PropagationSow seed, or divide plants, in spring. Take cuttings spring through fall.
ProblemsPowdery mildew, rust, stem rot, fungal leaf spots, whiteflies, aphids, mealybugs, spider mites.
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- Genus : Salvia
- Plant Height : 1 to 3 feet
- Plant Width : 1 to 3 feet
- Zones : 6, 7, 8, 9
- Characteristics : Attracts Hummingbirds, Fragrant Foliage
- Bloom Time : Early Summer, Late Summer, Summer
- Growth Rate : Fast
- Light : Full Sun
- Maintenance : Low
- Moisture : Medium Moisture
- Plant Type : Perennials
- Plant Seasonal Interest : Summer Interest
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