Salvia argentea- Silver Sage
Wonderful, large, woolly leaves in spring, followed by spires of purple-tipped white flowers.
Habit:
This is a short lived perennial plant, often grown only for its dramatic woolly foliage, which flowers to about 80cm. This plant is sometimes grown as an annual for its foliage only. It will flower in its second year. Flower spikes can be removed before setting seed, or even before flowering, to promote the longevity of the plant. In our personal garden this plant has proven reliably evergreen over winter, providing attractive ground cover, especially in early spring when the new leaves are at their best. When the plant flowers the leaves fade to a still attractive, but less eye-catching woolly mid-green colour.
Origins:
Salvia argentea is native to an area in southern Europe from Portugal to Bulgaria. It is found growing on stony hillside meadows, basalt, volcanic soils and rocky bluffs, usually not very near the sea. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1762.
Soil / Aspect:
This is a joy in Karin’s Garden where it thrives. It requires well-drained soil and full sun. It will tolerate drought. If allowed to seed you can collect seedlings from around the parent plant next spring, which grow quickly.
Maintenance:
We have had this plant in our personal garden for three years now, allowing it to flower and seed as it wishes. Happily the plants have survived year-to-year quite happily. there have been plenty of seedlings to relocate and share. The plant appears to have no noticeable pest or disease problems in our garden.