A Gallery of Salvias

The photograph at the top of this page shows a Hawk Moth feeding from a Salvia (Photo Alisdair Aird)

MGS member Lefteris Dariotis, who gardens in Athens, brings us a gallery of his favourite Salvia varieties with details of their growth habits and advice on their cultivation.

Varieties and Cultivars of Salvia

The genus of salvia is wonderfully varied comprising about 900 species. Of the mediterranean-climate areas, native species can be found in southern Europe, northern Africa, the west coast of the US and Mexico. In addition the species inter-breed promiscuously as well as producing un-matching off-spring. In other words they are a plant breeders’ delight. Breeders in the UK, the US and Australia vie to find and produce the most beautiful and interesting varieties and cultivars.

Crosses between Salvia microphylla and S. greggii throw up a whole range of colours and are namedas S. x jamensis + the cultivar name, e.g. S. x jamensis ‘Cherry Pie’.

Selected crosses between species are usually named without a species e.g. Salvia 'Allen Chickering' a hybrid Salvia clevlandii and S. leucophylla.

Salvia x sylvestris is a hybrid that primarily results from crosses between S. nemorosa and S. pratensis. Some cultivars currently listed under S. x sylvestris have uncertain parentage, however, and may actually be cultivars of one of the parents rather than being hybrids.

Sometimes cultivars go on to cross again or the parentage is unknown, in which case the plants are again identified by the variety only.

To achieve the best flowers year in year out, prune salvias back hard in autumn once the blooming has finished. Also dead head spent flowers after the first flush to encourage re-blooming.

If you have any questions or comments, bring them to the MGS Forum Click or tap on pictures to enlarge.